Balancing Act
by IceQueen2196
Summary: When an old friend of Dick Greyson's shows up, life at Mount Justice gets a little more interesting. Will Vee be able to escape the demons of her past, or did she doom the entire Team? Will contain couples, not sure who yet. Definite ArtemisxKidFlash and AqualadxOC. Rated M because Artemis and Veronica like to cuss, and because...Wally and Richard. Not really better summary inside.
1. Pizza and Pictures

**What would happen if someone who Dick knew from his past joined the team? Is she a new friend, or someone who will betray the team's trus-  
Wally: *reading chapter* Hey! I would never be that rude to a nice, sweet, pretty guest!  
Me: *snatching back the chapter* Well, this is my story, and what I say goes.  
Artemis: *reading over my shoulder* I'm totally oblivious!**  
**Impulse: Oops, spoilers!  
Me: *hiding story* All of you go away! I'm trying to be dramatic here! Anyway, enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Young Justice, I only own Veronica/Livewire. All rights and properties go to the rightful owners, yada yada yada. Enjoy!**

* * *

"Batman, I'm still not sure," I said, standing outside the Zeta-Tube in the Batcave. The Dark Night just sighed.  
"We've been over this. It's just a tour, you're not making the commitment to the team. But it's the best place Alfred and I have been able to find for you." He reached over and activated the tube, and stepped through, motioning me in as he disappeared. I took a deep breath and stepped into the light, feeling my atoms being transported.  
_"Recognized. Batman, zero-two. Recognized. Guest, A-one-four." _ I stepped out of the light on the other end, and walked out of the tube. Batman was standing and waiting for me at the end, with some other people. I was thankful for my mask and costume under their looks.  
"Team, please meet your potential new teammate, an old friend of a relative of mine. She's just here for a visit today, but I trust you'll treat her like she was actually part of the team." Batman turned to me. "I'll be back in about five hours. You know how to contact me if something happens. And, please, don't destroy anything valuable." With that he turned and walked out, the Zeta-Tube announcing his exit. When I turned back to face the team, they were all smiling.  
"Hi, I'm-" a green girl stepped forward, her hand outstretched.  
"Miss Martian. And that's Robin, Artemis, Zatanna, Superboy, Imuplse, Nightwing, and Kid Flash. And you're Black Canary, and Green Arrow," I cut her off. The girl's hand had fallen as I had listed off the team, and was now back by her side. "Nice to officially meet you all." I stuck out my hand at her, and after a second she took it and shook it. Then the boys all crowded around me.  
"Hey babe. It seems we're at a disadvantage. You know us, but we don't know you. But maybe we could change that," Kid Flash said, trying to strike a casual yet flirty pose. I just snorted.  
"I'm not seeing the disadvantage here," I said, pushing past him.  
"Buuuuuurn," I heard Nightwing whisper out of the side of his mouth. I walked up to Black Canary.  
"It's an honor to meet you in person. You were my hero when I was a little girl," I said, a small smile flashing over my face.  
"You still _are_ a little girl," I heard from behind me.  
"I don't remember asking your opinion, Lagoon Boy," I responded without turning around. There were some quick laugh-turned-coughs from the others, and all of a sudden an arm wrapped itself around my shoulder.  
"I think you're gonna fit in great here," Artemis said, as Zatanna nodded from my other side. "Here, we'll give you the grand tour." They started to lead me out of the Mission Room, Miss Martian catching up with us.  
"Wait. What's your name, first?" Green Arrow called after us. I paused and thought for a moment.  
"Call me...Livewire," I said after a second. Nightwing gasped and I let a small smirk pass over my face. Then I flipped my braid over my shoulder and walked off, making sure to put a little bit more sway than usual in my hips. As soon as the door closed, the four of us started cracking up. "Did you see...his face?" I asked around my giggles. I did my version of KF's "rejected" face, which sent us into another round of laughter. Eventually we were able to stop laughing, and I got the grand tour. A hushed silence fell over us as they showed me the Grotto, and we found Aqualad standing in front of Aquagirl's holographic statue. The girls turned to leave, but I stepped up beside him, in front of her. "May you swim oceans eternally blue, and find the favor of Neptune himself," I said looking up at the hologram, reciting the words spoken for an Atlantian who had fallen in combat as a hero. Aqualad looked at me in surprise, and gave me a small smile. I put a hand on his shoulder for a second, then dropped it and turned, leading the girls out.  
"What was that?" Artemis demanded once the door was shut and we were farther down the hall.  
"What was what?" I asked, faking confusion.  
"You know what she's talking about. What was with the flirting with Aqualad in front of the memorial of his dead crush?" Zatanna answered. I looked at them in surprise.  
"I didn't know she was his crush, and I wasn't flirting. I was merely telling him that there are others who understand pain. The only thing worse than dealing with the death of a loved one is dealing with the death of a loved one alone." That seem an acceptable answer because we continued on the tour, ending in the kitchen, just in time to start getting lunch ready.  
"Normally we do our own thing for food, but we have one of each meal together once a week," Zatanna explained. "Today we're doing lunch together, and we're having pizza." We made our pizzas instead of ordering, each of us making a different kind. I was put in charge of the "Impulse and KF Specials." They had every pizza topping ever avaliable, plus several that should be totally gross on a pizza; lunch meat, mashed potatoes, leftover Chinese takeout, and mac n' cheese were just a few things Zatanna and Miss Martian gave me to put on it. Once we had all the pizzas in the ovens, we sat down and started doing what all girls do when we have free time: talk. Which is how the guys found us half an hour later when they started wandering in for lunch.  
"-Robin. Totally Robin," Zatanna was saying when Impulse and Kid Flash raced in.  
"Are you kidding?" I asked, slamming my drink down on the counter and faking outrage. "You disgrace the Team, it's _clearly_ Aqualad!" Kid Flash cleared his throat, getting our attention. We all turned to glare at him.  
"Not to interrupt a cat-fight in the making, but are our pizzas almost ready?" he asked, holding up his hands to defend himself.  
"I dunno, how long is left on the timer?" Artemis asked, sitting next to me on the bar stools at the counter.  
"Another fifteen minutes for you two," Miss Martian responded from where she was leaning against the counter by the ovens.  
"That is _so_ mode," Impulse groaned and Artemis and I turned back around, to face Zatanna and Miss M again.  
"Okay, my turn. Superboy or...Kid Flash?" Zatanna asked. We all looked over our shoulders at Wally, who was crashed upside down on the couch, his legs over the back and his head hanging down, facing the TV.  
"Superboy," Artemis, Miss M, and I said at the same time.  
"What'cha doin'?" Impulse asked, apearing on the stool on the other side of me from Artemis. I jumped slightly and growled in annoyance. I _hate_ being startled.  
"Boys," was all I responded, not turning to face him.  
"That's what she said!" Kid Flash snickered from the couch. Miss M telepathicly rolled up a dish towel and snapped him with it, making him jump and yelp.  
"It's a game, smartass," Artemis said, rolling her eyes. "Miss M and Zatanna give us two boys-"  
"She said that too!" Kid Flash said, laughing harder. Miss M smacked him with the dish towel again.  
"-And we have to decide who'd win in a fight. And then Livewire and I give them two boys-"  
"You're making this too easy!" KF called, in danger of falling off the couch he was laughing so hard. Artemis ignored him and kept going.  
"-And they have to decide who's cuter. But it usually turns into a 'cat-fight in the making' as he-" she jerked her thumb over her shoulder to the couch, where Wally was trying not to fall off "-called it. Turns out Livewire here knows the team pretty well." I blushed under my mask.  
"I would get bored and hack your files on the Batcave's computer," I confessed. A silence fell over the kitchen.  
"That is so crash!" Impulse said, breaking it. "You must be really good with computers!" I laughed and shook my head.  
"No, but Batman is predictable when it comes to passwords." I rubbed the back of my neck. "Anyway! I think it's my turn. Okay, sooo...Nightwing or Richard Grayson?" I asked, internally snickering. Along with strengths, weaknesses, medical records, and stuff like that, everyone's files contained their civilian identities. Of course, I'd known about Nightwing for a while.  
"Nightwing," Miss M said, after thinking it over.  
"Nah. Dick Grayson. He's good-looking _and_ he's a billionaire. And he has that whole 'tortured past' thing, too." Zatanna looked up to see us all staring at her. "What?" she asked defensively.  
"Are you crazy? It's _clearly_ Nightwing! He's a hero!" Artemis chimed in, taking Miss M's side.  
"How do you know? Have you ever seen what's under that mask?" Zatanna asked. "I didn't think so," she said when neither of the other two answered. The other two just looked at her, but I started laughing so hard that I fell off my stool. "Are you okay?" she asked, peering down at me from over the counter. I just continued to laugh, my face getting redder and redder under my mask. That happened to be the moment Robin, Nightwing, Beast Boy, and Superboy walked in, followed by Black Canary and Green Arrow.  
"...What's with her?" Beast Boy asked as they all stood looking down at me.  
"I dunno. We were just playing Boys, and she started cracking up," Artemis said, propping her feet up on the stool I'd just fallen off of.  
"What were the options?" Black Canary asked, knowing the game and having a good idea what was coming.  
"Nightwing or Dick Grayson." Nightwing choked on the drink of water he'd just taken from the glasses Miss M had passed out, and Black Canary let out a soft chuckle.  
"They...were...arguing!" I gasped from the floor. Black Canary couldn't help it, she started laughing too, so hard she had to lean on the counter or risk falling over. Nightwing was pounding himself on the chest, trying to recover from choking.  
"What's so funny?" Lagoon Boy asked, coming in and kissing Miss M on the cheek. This, for some reason, just sent me into more laughter. I was finally able to settle down enough to stand up and help take pizzas out of the ovens, then was put on drinks duty, taking orders for Miss M. Impulse set the table and Kid Flash cooled the pizza to an edible temperature, and everyone else scattered to find everyone and tell them lunch was ready. Pretty soon only Nightwing and I were left in the kitchen. I finished putting drinks out and he finished carrying the pizzas to the table, and then we had nothing to do. I started wiping the counters down, and I heard him sit down on a stool.  
"So," I said, moving over to wipe the counter across from him, so I was facing him, "That was some pretty impressive choking there." A faint pink tinged his cheekbones, and I smiled. "You do that often?"  
"Semi-regularly, yeah. So, what made you think to come up with that pair?"  
"Who, you and Dick? Eh, I was bored." I paused in my wiping and looked at him. He looked back, trying to figure me out.  
"Yes, but why _those_ two?" he asked. I grabbed the parmesan cheese and took it to the table, making sure to pass close behind Nightwing.  
"Maybe because I wanted to see what impression the youngest Flying Grayson gave when no one knew who he was, compared to when _everyone_ knew who he was," I whispered, bending down so my mouth was right behind his ear. Then I whirled away, setting the cheese shaker on the table just as the first people started coming back. Nightwing took his seat, at the opposite end of the table from me, with everyone else. And if anyone else noticed that he was rigid and barely spoke for the whole meal, they didn't say anything.

"So, how did it go?" Batman asked as I climbed into the passenger side of the Batmobile. I shrugged and nodded, knowing he'd understand what I was trying to say. "And Wally?" I chuckled.  
"Never let me accuse you of over exaggerating _ever_ again." I rolled my eyes as Batman sped off. "Why didn't we just use the Zeta-Tubes?" I asked as Batman drove down to the docks. He just drove off the end of a pier, switching the Batmobile to plane-mode or whatever it's called.  
"You haven't gotten to see the Atlantic from above at night yet," he said, motioning to my window. I looked down, seeing the setting sun reflecting off the waves. After it set, the boats' lights reflected off the water, making it look like the starry night sky was trapped underwater. I just sat, soaking in the beauty of it all. We reached Gotham all too soon, and I then was climbing out, inside the Batcave. Alfred was standing there, a water bottle and towel for Bruce and a warm smile for me. Bruce said he'd never seen Alfred smile as much as when I was around.  
"Welcome back Master Bruce, Lady Veronica," he said. He was most likely the only person in the world who could call me a lady and I didn't have the urge to punch in the face.  
"Hello Alfred," I replied, smiling back. "Did any aliens try to invade in our absence?" Alfred smiled again.  
"Indeed, Lady Veronica, but at the news that you were not here, they agreed to return another time." I laughed and followed Alfred to the stairs. Stepping out of the staircase and lowering the grandfather clock after myself, I took off my mask. "Did the suit work?" Alfred asked, motioning to my costume. He and I had spent almost two weeks designing and sewing it.  
"It was perfect Alfred! You're a genius!" He just brushed the compliment off, but he couldn't stop a small smile. "But, if you don't mind, I'm going to go change." I took off up to the guest room I'd been living in, and shut and locked the door behind me. I stood in front of the full-length mirror and put my mask back on, looking myself up and down. The tight black bodysuit fit like a second skin and moved like the first, with no extra tightness, no matter how I twisted or turned. It only had the left sleeve, though, like my old costume. The right sleeve covered the top of my shoulder, but didn't even reach the curve where my shoulder turned into my arm. The high collar didn't restrict head movement or make breathing hard, and the fabric breathed enough that I didn't get hot just wearing it. Four-inch wide silver cuff bracelets went around each wrist. I had a fingerless black kid glove on my right hand, made of the same material as Batman's gloves. I didn't wear shoes though. Shoes had never appealed to me, and my feet were tough enough I didn't need them, so my leotard just ended at my ankles. A black domino mask finished the costume, covering from the top of my forehead to my cheekbones. Electric blue/green and bright pink lines zigzagged all over the costume, following all the seams and crisscrossing over my stomach and back, and twisting around my legs. To complete the outfit I had pulled my hair up into a high ponytail braid and applied some hot pink lipstick. With my pale skin, bright lipstick, and dark mask, I looked like I had when I was younger, on an opening night. Of course, I wasn't younger anymore, and it wasn't opening night. I quickly took off the costume and hung it on a hanger in a hidden compartment Alfred had showed me in the closet, took my hair down, and stepped into the shower. After I had dried off, I pulled on an oversized t-shirt, Batman logo print flannel pajama bottoms, and all my various bracelets. I brushed my hair out and walked out of my room, humming softly to myself. I loosely braided my long, straight hair over one shoulder as I walked down the stairs, headed for the kitchen. Alfred caught me in the hall, and pulled me into the closest room, which happened to be the library.  
"Master Dick is back from his 'skiing trip'," he informed me, talking quickly and quietly. "Master Bruce has not yet seen fit to tell him who you are, or even that you are here. So you might wish to watch what you say around Master Dick."  
"Wait, Dick doesn't know _I'm_ here? Wow, Bats really has been busy. Alfred, would it be a bother to ask you to find Richard and inform him that I'm, at least for now, a resident of the mansion, and will be able to be found in the kitchen or my room?"  
"Of course, Lady Veronica." With that, he turned and walked out, turning down the hall and continuing as if nothing had happened. I realized that Alfred had set something on the small end-table by the couch we had been standing next to, and I picked it up. I didn't bother looking at it until I had reached the kitchen, poured myself a glass of milk, and stolen a few cookies from the jar Alfred always kept well-stocked with his world-famous chocolate chip cookies. I sat down at the kitchen table, and flipped the thing over. It was a picture of a boy who couldn't have been older than seven, and a girl who looked a little younger than him. The boy had short black hair and was laughing; the girl had brown hair with natural red highlights, and was smiling, revealing a missing front tooth. In the background an elephant was getting a bath, and a group of girls who looked to be about nine were forming a human pyramid. I felt a jolt of surprise; that elephant was named Sammy, the girls were Gee-Gee, Dee-Dee, and Mimi, triplets. The boy, with his small head thrown back and hands on his stomach was Dick, and the girl, the little, plain looking, green eyed, freckle faced girl, was me. But this wasn't my picture. All of my pictures of the circus were in a scrapbook upstairs. That must mean that this picture was-  
"Who are you and what do you have?" -Dick's. I looked up into the eyes of the sixteen-year-old young man. He had obviously just had a shower, his hair still looked damp, and he brushed it impatiently out of his eyes. "Hello?" he asked, getting impatient. I didn't say anything, just laid the picture down on the table and scooted it towards him. He looked at me, then looked down, then looked back at me. Then he seemed to do a double-take, looking closer at me and the picture. "Vee?" he asked, sinking into a chair. I nodded and pushed a cookie and the half-drunk glass of milk across the table to him. He picked up the cookie and took a bite, then took a drink of milk, seeming to be on autopilot.  
"Are you okay?" I asked, leaning forward to try to see into his eyes. "Dick?" He didn't respond, but kept his bent, looking at the picture he still held in one hand. "Hello? Richard?" Finally, I resorted to my big guns to get his attention. "Picky Ricky?" His head snapped up, and he seemed to focus again.  
"I'm sorry, but seeing you again, after what happened today, it's just..." he trailed off, looking at me.  
"What happened today? You were on a plane all day, weren't you? On your way back from your skiing trip?" I decided not to tell him that I knew all about his 'skiing trip' until he decided to tell me who he was, so I had to play innocent and ignorant. He shook his head, trying to clear it.  
"Hmm? Oh, yeah, the skiing trip. Yeah, I was on a plane all day. If you don't mind, I'm going to go to bed. It was really nice to see you, and I'm assuming if you're here now you're spending the night. We can talk at breakfast tomorrow." He stood, pushing the half-eaten cookie and the rest of the glass of milk back at me and grabbing his picture. I smiled and stood.  
"Night," I said, giving him a quick hug before he turned and left the kitchen. I sat back down. I had just met Nightwing for the second first time, not the adoptive son of the infamous playboy Bruce Wayne. I leaned forward like I had earlier to reach the glass and cookie, and felt the tips of my bangs brush the tops of my breasts, falling through the the big neck hole of the oversized t-shirt. I paused for a second and calculated the angle of Dick's head, and how he could move his eyes. I rolled my eyes and grabbed the cookie and glass, trying to suppress a giggle. Or, maybe, I had just met the adoptive son of an infamous playboy. Alfred came in as I sat back up and propped my feet up on the chair next to me.  
"So I trust everything went well?" I smiled and took my feet off the chair, and sat the empty glass back on the table. I hadn't even realized I had finished the milk and cookie as I had sat there. Alfred sat down and sighed. I knew it was probably the first time he'd sat down all day, except for lunch.  
"Yeah, I think it went okay. He recognized me, looked down my shirt, ate half my cookie, and went to bed." Alfred tried to cough to cover a chuckle, but failed. "Oh, go ahead and laugh. I know you want to." Alfred laughed at my word, a deep baritone laugh that sounded like it should be coming from someone three times his size, and I joined him. Bruce came in then, and looked shocked.  
"Is Alfred...laughing?" he asked me. At the sound of him employer's voice, Alfred stopped laughing instantly and stood, pouring another glass of milk and taking another cookie from the jar. Bruce took the chair he had vacated, confusion all over his face. "I've never seen Alfred laugh before." I just smiled, and Alfred set the cookie and milk down in front of him. Bruce looked down, then back at Alfred. "Can I have two?" Alfred just smiled and shook his head.  
"I don't know, can you?" he asked, turning to wipe down the already spotless counter.  
"_May_ I have two?" Bruce asked, stressing the 'may'.  
"No. You don't need that much sugar before bed," the older man said, not turning around.  
"Pleeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaassssssssse," Bruce begged, stretching the word into eight syllables and making the puppy-dog face at Alfred's back. Alfred finally gave in and got another cookie out and handed it to Bruce who did a five-second silent cheer. I couldn't help but laughing.  
"You are a giant man-child, Bruce Wayne," I said, raising my eyebrows at him. "And what's this about going to bed? Aren't you patrolling tonight?" Bruce smirked.  
"And leave you and Dick Grayson in the same building with only Alfred? He might be the best butler anyone could ever have, but still, Dick is, well, Dick. And Nightwing might be completely trustworthy, but Dick Grayson is the adoptive son of the biggest playboy in Gotham." I rolled my eyes.  
"Admit it, you just want to see what happens tomorrow at breakfast." Bruce's eyes widened in mock-innocence and he held up his hands. "Oh, and I know you've been teaching him your habits with the ladies. He's already looked down my shirt." And with that I stood and walked out, back up to my room. I could hear Bruce's chuckles behind me, and what sounded suspiciously like an "'Atta boy." I walked into my room and turned off the light, using moonlight to walk over to the window and open it a crack. Then I walked over to the bed and crawled in, pulling the blankets up around me. The soothing sounds of traffic from the street wafted in with the cool breeze, helping soothe me to sleep. One last thought drifted across my conscience just before I fell asleep. _I wonder what breakfast is going to be like tomorrow._

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**Hey guys! So, what did you think? I'm hoping you don't totally hate it. Please, review! Flames welcome! And I can't promise "new chapters every week!" but the more inspiration I have, the faster you get chapters, and the more reviews I have, the more inspiration I get! Oh, and I decided to do a quick age chart for the Team, as much for my sake as for yours. So, if you don't really care or don't wanna read it, just leave here. Bye! ...You're still here, aren't you? Wow, you guys are crazy. Okay, bye! ...SERIOUSLY, BYE!**

**Kid Flash/Wally West: 18 1/2  
Superboy/Connor Kent: 18 1/2 (3 1/2)  
Miss Martian/Megan: 18 (?)  
Lagoon Boy/La'gaan: 18  
Aqualad/Kaldur'ahm: 17 1/2  
Artemis/Artemis Crock: 17  
Zatanna: 16 1/2  
****Nightwing/Dick Grayson: 16 1/2**  
Livewire/Veronica: 16  
Robin III/Tim Drake: 16  
Beast Boy/Garfield Logan: 16  
Impulse/Bart Allen: 14 1/2  


**So, extra extra bit at the end. I didn't set this after a specific episode, and I didn't try to follow the storyline too closely. Some major changes are: Aqualad didn't "betray" the team or "kill" Artemis. Artemis and Wally are not a couple. The only couple we have right now is Megan and La'gaan. This will change, yes. Though I did keep the bit where Megan and Connor went out, and they broke up. Same reasons. And, Bart's future is fixed, Mount Justice doesn't blow up, none of that grand stuff. If I remember anything else I did against the show, I'll make sure to tell you. Oh, and I know their ages are messed up, but I don't care. If you're that picky, go read another story. I think that's it! Love ya'll!  
-IceQueen2196 **


	2. Mall Day

**So, this is Vee's day as a civilian, hanging out with Dick. Which has some unintended consequenc-  
Black Canary: *reading* "Kiddo"? Who am I, Green Arrow?  
Green Arrow: *crossing arms and looking upset* Hey, that is rude and uncalled for! I am offended-  
Dick: *glaring at me* How dumb can I get, not figuring this out yet? And plaid? Really?  
Impulse: Oops, spoilers!  
Green Arrow: -And if you have a problem with how I talk, that's your problem.  
Vee: *looking at me* Well, this is a mess, huh?  
Me: EVERYONE SHUT UP SO THEY CAN GET TO THE CHAPTER! Anyway guys, enjoy!**

* * *

A light knocking woke me the next morning. "Mmph!" I called to the door, burying my face in the pillow.  
"Breakfast will be served in forty-five minutes," Alfred said from my doorway.  
"Uuuugggghhhh," I moaned. "Thanks Alfred." I forced myself to sit up and swung my legs over the edge of the bed. I stumbled into the shower and turned it on to cold water and stepped in. I grinned as the icy liquid flowed over me, waking me up and giving me energy. After scrubbing I quickly rinsed off and stepped out. Wrapping myself in a towel I walked over to the closet, not bothering to close my door. No one came past here anyway. Bruce's rooms were at the other end of the hall, on the other side of the staircase, and Alfred's apartment was downstairs. The only person whose room was over here was- SHIT! I ran to the door, trying to get it closed, but I was too late. Just as I reached the door Dick came out of his room down the hall. I slammed the door before he could see me, but I knew that it was pointless. Nightwing didn't miss anything, and neither did Dick Grayson. I scrambled into a thin gray sweater, black skinny jeans, socks, and shoes, trying to brush my hair and put on lip gloss a the same time. I ended up with a bigger mess than I started with, and sat down on the stool in front of the vanity in frustration. I started un-sticking my hair from my lip gloss and wiping it off, then tried to brush it out. I had just thrown the brush down onto the vanity when Alfred knocked on the door.  
"May I come in, Lady Veronica?" he asked, standing just outside. I grunted a yes and he opened the door and walked over to stand behind me. "May I?" he asked, pointing to the brush. I nodded and he picked it up and began brushing out my tangles. I wiped off the rest of my lip gloss and glared daggers at the tube of offending sparkles. I barely even felt it as Alfred worked the snarls out of my hair, he was so gentle and so skilled with the brush. "Was he angry with me?" Alfred asked suddenly. "For taking his picture?" It took me a moment to realize what he was talking about.  
"Dick? No. If not for that picture, he most likely wouldn't have recognized me. And he was too lost in his own thoughts to really pay attention to anything last night. I said some things I probably shouldn't have said yesterday when I was in costume at Mount Justice, and I think I freaked him out." I looked up and caught Alfred studying me in the mirror.  
"He looks at it every night, you know. He's started many letters to you, but he never seems to finish them. Of course, he doesn't know that I know that he keeps all the pictures that have you in them in the second drawer of the nightstand to the left of his bed, or that he has whispered goodnight to you every night since he got here. He really cares about you." Then Alfred fell silent, finishing brushing my hair and swept it all over one of my shoulders. He stepped back, looked at his handiwork, turned, and walked out. When I walked into the dining room a few minutes later, three places were set, but no one was there yet. "Master Bruce and Master Dick will be joining you shortly. They enjoy to practice "skiing" before breakfast on mornings when they are both home," Alfred said from the doorway. I smiled and nodded, taking my seat.  
"Thank you, Alfred." I sat patiently as Alfred disappeared back into the kitchen, and sounds of him making his own breakfast started coming from the other side of the kitchen door. Then the door to the hall opened, and Bruce came in.  
"Good morning Veronica," Bruce said as he walked to his spot at the head of the table. I just arched my eyebrows at him. "Vee," he quickly corrected himself, running his hand through his hair, which was still damp. "So, has the Boy Wonder graced you with his presence yet this morning?" I let out a snort.  
"Well, he saw me in my towel this morning after my shower, but we haven't talked yet." Just then the boy in question walked in, just in time to hear my response.  
"And let me tell you, she looks fantastic in a damp towel slamming her door in my face," he said, winking flirtatiously at me. I rolled my eyes and stuck my tongue out at him.  
"You were all the way down the hall, my door-slamming was no where near your face," I retorted as he sat down in his seat across from me, his wet hair flinging droplets as he flipped it out of his face. I waited a minute as Alfred brought out the food, then cupped my hand to my ear as if I was trying to hear something better. "What's that? Oh, yes, it's good to see you too Dick! Yes, I love the mansion, it's amazing! Hmm? Oh, I would totally love to hang out later!" I said, making Bruce snort. Dick looked at me, then grinned.  
"Dang, I've missed you," he said, grabbing the scrambled eggs. "Hey, wanna hang out later?" I laughed and grabbed a piece of toast.  
"I dunno, I'll have to think about it," I said, nonchalantly. We finished breakfast with light banter, and quite a bit of flirting from Dick. Everything I said he seemed to be able to turn into an opportunity to flirt. By the end of breakfast I had to bite my lip to keep from laughing, because every time he would use a cheesy line or wink exaggeratedly I would think of Wally.  
"So, what do you want to do today?" Dick asked as Alfred cleared the table. I looked out the window.  
"Well, it'd have to be inside," I said, seeing the light drizzle gently beating the window panes.  
"How about you go to the mall? You could use some new clothes, and it'd be fun," Bruce suggested.  
"You need new clothes?" Dick asked, looking at me.  
"Yeah, they didn't have much of a beauty budget at the Orphan's Home," I said, picking at a loose thread on my sweater. Dick just looked away, his light pink blush tinging his cheeks again.  
"Then yeah, let's go shopping," he said after a moment.  
"This is probably a bad idea, but- here," Bruce said, handing me a credit card. "No, you use it. I am a billionaire, after all," he said, pushing the card back at me when I tried to give it back. I smiled.  
"Thanks. Now, who's ready to go shopping?" I looked at Dick, who was still sitting. "That's your cue, dude."  
"What? Oh, yeah, let's go! See you later, Dad!" he called to Bruce as he followed me out the doors. I noticed how the term of affection passed his lips easily, but slightly hesitantly, like he was comfortable with the word but didn't use it much. "Come on, I'll drive," he said to me as he pulled me down halls and into the garage. He grabbed a set of keys off rack and unlocked a black Ford Mustang GT. "Get in!" he called, shutting his door. I slipped Bruce's credit card into my pocket, then opened the door and slid into the passenger seat, feeling the cool faux-leather seat through my jeans. My bracelets clinked and rustled as I fastened my seatbelt. "So, where do you want to go first?" he asked, pulling out of the garage and turning around in the circle drive.  
"How about the Gotham Mall?" I asked as he slowed down for the gates to open. Pulling out onto the street, Dick turned and headed towards the mall. Pulling into a parking space, he turned off the car.  
"You sure you're ready for this? For you, it's just shopping with an old friend, but for most people it's a shopping date with Dick Grayson, the son of the billionaire." He leaned back in his seat, studying me from the corner of his eye.  
"But what about you?" I asked, watching a young girl pull her mother through the mall doors. "Forgive me for answering a question with a question, but am I shopping with Ricky Grayson, the acrobat, and my best friend, or Dick Grayson-Wayne, the son of the biggest playboy in Gotham?" I turned my head to face him, giving him and his answer my undivided attention.  
"But people won't see it like that! They'll see-"  
"I don't care what they see. I'm a performer, remember? The defier of gravity, the empress of suspense, the mistress of balance, queen of the tightrope-" I cut myself off there. "I don't care what they see. I just care about what you see," I repeated softer. Dick sat silently for a moment, his eyes closed. The ending of what I'd said whispered across my mind, refusing to be ignored. _"Ladies and gentlemen, may I present to you the defier of gravity, the empress of suspense, the mistress of balance, queen of the tightrope- Lady Livewire!"_ It's how I was always introduced when I was in the circus. Growing up there, I learned how to walk a tightrope at a very early age, and soon I was very good. I'd often been told that my act was a rivaled the Flying Graysons for being the best ever seen.  
"Let's go," he said. He climbed out, and I quickly joined him. "But don't say I didn't warn you." And with that, he led me into the mall. We didn't get a dozen steps through the door before someone recognized Dick. And once on girl screamed his name, the entire female population of the mall seemed to hone in on us. We ran into the nearest store and ducked behind a stand of dummies. Once the screaming mob passed the doors, we stepped out from our hiding place. "Told you," he said, but I was too busy looking around. We had ducked into a JCPenny, and I figured it was as good a place as any to start our shopping trip.  
"Oh, that's cute! And it's in just your size too!" I said, pointing to a rack of hideous yellow, green, and purple plaid shorts. He looked at them and started laughing. Then he reached over and grabbed a pair after checking the size.  
"I swear I was kidding," I said, looking at him like he was mental. He just grinned, grabbed my wrist, and pulled me farther into the store. We finally went to the changing rooms, both of us with three outfits to try on. I let Dick go first, and waited outside the changing room door. Finally, he opened the door, and I burst out laughing. He was in the pair of plaid shorts, a pastel pink collared long-sleeved t-shirt, a bow tie, and a yellow and red checkered sweater vest. I pulled out my iPhone 4S, my most expensive possession. I had worked for a year and a half before I had the money to buy it. I took a picture of Dick, and he went back in to change again. The next outfit was a tight red Under Armour shirt, neon pink and purple swim trunks, a tie with the Superman logo, and a puke-green hoodie. I snapped a picture of that one too, and he went to change into his final outfit. After he emerged in it, I had to lean against the wall to keep from falling onto the floor with laughter for the second time in two days. He was in a pastel yellow short sleeved polo, pastel blue skinny jeans that were roughly two sizes too big, huge sunglasses, and neon green fingerless gloves. But the best part was the pair of red underwear he had pulled on over the jeans, making fun of Superman's costume. I took a couple pictures of that one from different angles, then ducked into the changing room next door to pull on my first outfit while he changed back into his clothes. My first outfit was a floor-length skirt covered in huge roses, a lime green maternity shirt, a rainbow bow tie, and a mouse-brown button-up sweater. I waited until I heard Dick come out of his changing room before I emerged from mine, pausing in the doorway for a totally cheesy pose. He cracked up, like I'd hoped he would. He pulled out his phone and took some pictures of his own. I went back into the changing room and changed into my second outfit. This time it was a neon green one-piece swimsuit with a neckline that went practically to my navel, over a sparkly silver tank top. I pulled on a pair of low-riding black basketball shorts, and a cropped leather jacket that completely covered my hands with the sleeves. I opened the door and struck another cheesy pose, making Dick laugh harder. He took some more pictures, and I went to change into my last outfit. I'd snagged a grey mini dress, that had a neckline that went around my shoulders, and came to mid-thigh. Over it I pulled on a pair of purple sweat pants that said JUICY on the ass, yellow knitted fingerless gloves that went half-way up my arm, and a red silk tie half-done around my neck. I pulled my hair up into a messy bun and opened the door, crossing my eyes and sticking out my tongue. Dick doubled over, laughing so hard tears were streaming down his face. After pictures of my final fashion disaster, I went in to change back. Putting things on their hangers, I heard snickering from the changing room next to mine. I didn't think much of it, even when I heard someone say, "So, little miss Grayson-Stealer, let's see how you like _this_." I left the changing room and Dick and I started actually shopping. We were spotted several times by fangirls, and every time we would duck into a store to avoid them. Eventually, we ended up giggling, hiding inside a circular clearance rack.  
"Having fun yet?" I asked, catching my breath. Dick just looked at me like I was crazy, then seemed to think about the question.  
"Yeah, I am," he replied. We snuck out of the rack and exited the store, just barely avoiding the girls. We finally stopped for lunch at the food court, ordering from a Chinese-food place. Then we took the things we actually bought and snuck out, ducking behind cars and pretending to be a part of a couple families to make it back to the car. We shoved our bags into the trunk and slid into our seats, giggling. We stopped by several other stores before finally going back to the mansion. We pulled up in time to see a young woman making her way up the front walk. I arched my eyebrows at Dick, and he just shrugged. "He is the biggest playboy in Gotham." We pulled our bags from the car and walked into the mansion, just in time to hear Alfred let the woman in.  
"It is good to see you, Miss Prince," we heard him say. We walked towards the staircase, trying to not be noticed.  
"It's good to see you too, Alfred," the woman responded. Dick blanched at the sound of her voice, and I had to work very hard to not keep my eyes from opening wide and my eyebrows from shooting up. What was Wonder Woman doing here, as a civilian? We paused when we heard her, which just happened to be in front of the doorway to the front hall, and she saw us. Well, she saw Dick.  
"Dick, it's good to see you? How's the-"  
"Skiing? It's great, thanks Diana," he cut her off. She looked confused before I stepped forward so she could see me too. "Diana, meet Veronica. Vee, this is Diana, a friend of Bruce's." I smiled and waved slightly. Understanding washed over Diana's face.  
"It's nice to meet you Diana, but I have to go put this stuff up in my room." And I walked off, taking the stairs three at a time once I was out of sight. I walked into my room and collapsed onto my bed, letting the bags fall to the floor. I groaned and rolled over, so my back was to the door. I pulled my phone out, and dialed the one person I could talk to.  
"Professor Lance speaking, how may I help you?" came the voice from the other end when she picked up.  
"Canary, listen, it's me," I said, smiling.  
"Oh, hey kiddo. What's up?" Dinah asked. I could hear her smile in her voice.  
"Kiddo?" I asked, trying not to laugh.  
"I've been spending a lot of time with Oliver lately," she said, a touch defensively. I just laughed. "So, why did you call?"  
"Hmm? Oh, nothing. I guess I just needed someone to talk to. I was out all day with Dick, and _Diana Prince_ just showed up at our door. Of course, I don't know who she is; who any of them are."  
"I get it. Wanted to make sure you're not going insane. I have no promises there. Oh, and I already know about your little...date with Dick," she said, causing me to pause for a second.  
"Bats told you?" I guessed. I guess he'd tell her, to excuse Dick from training today.  
"Oh, no. Haven't you seen? It's all over the evening news. Dick Grayson, adopted son of Gotham's resident playboy Bruce Wayne was seen at the Gotham Mall today, with his new girlfriend. No one knows who she is, but trust me, they'll find out." My blood turned to ice in my veins.  
"His...new..._what_?!" I shrieked, coming close to a canary cry myself.  
"Hey, calm down. Bruce'll work his magic and this'll be all gone by next week. Yes, I'll be there in a second Oliver! I'm in the middle of a very important phone call!" The last part was muffled, like she'd put her hand over the mouthpiece. "I have to go, but trust me, it'll be okay." Then she hung up, the click sounding extra loud. I quickly pulled up the local Gotham News page on the net, and confirmed Black Canary's story. There on the front page of the e-news was a picture of Dick and I fleeing the mob at the mall, where we happen to be holding hands. The snippet of conversation I'd heard in the changing rooms now made sense. Someone had tipped off the news that Dick Grayson and his new "girlfriend" were at the mall. I rolled over and buried my face in my pillow, moaning loudly.  
"Hey, you okay?" a voice asked from the doorway. Dick. "Vee?" Instead of responding, I just held up my phone, which still had the news story pulled up. He read quickly and groaned, sinking to sit next to me on the bed. "I'll see what Bruce can do." Then we heard two sets of footsteps coming up the stairs.  
"-Leave in a second Diana, but there's one thing I have to take care of first," we heard Bruce say. Then his broad shoulders filled my door frame, and I could feel him looking at us. "So, when exactly were you two planning to tell me you were a couple?"

* * *

**Hey guys! I hope you liked chapter 2! I'm not sure how this turned out, so...But! Next chapter will be more interesting, I promise. More action, more drama, and *drumroll* more Wally! :P Pinkie swear! So, what did you think of the little glimpse into Vee's past? I'm thinking of doing a chapter that's just a dream of her past, tell me if you think it's a good idea and what you want to know about her in the reviews! Or PM me, I don't care. I don't bite, it's okay! Love ya'll!**

**Dick: *glaring silently at me*  
Me: Oh, what? You'll figure it out eventually!  
Wally: *grinning hopefully* I'm the first one on the Team she tells, right?  
Me: Umm...no. But you are the first one she rejects, if that helps.  
Artemis: Who wouldn't reject him?  
Me: *grinning evilly* That would be you, sweetheart.  
Wally: *raises eyebrows suggestively at Artemis*  
Artemis: *glaring at me with Dick*  
Me: *backing out slowly* So, I'm just gonna go get some caffeine. Later! *runs out door* Love ya'll!  
-IceQueen2196**


	3. Christmas Parties and Potential Weddings

**Wally: *reading* SHE BEAT ME?! HOW?!  
Me: *rolling eyes and taking chapter back* Oh, calm your butt down.  
Kaldur: I would never betray Tula like that!  
M'gann: 'Hideous' sweaters? If you don't like them, I'll just take them back! *storms off in a huff*  
Vee: *looking at me sympathetically* You might want to start the chapter soon...  
Me: OKAY, EVERYONE BUT VEE OUT, SHE CAN STAY BECAUSE SHE'S NICE. GO. SHOO. Enjoy the chapter guys!**

* * *

I grunted and reached up to brush my bangs behind my ear.  
"Just...give up...already!" Wally ground out between clenched teeth. I just set my jaw in determination and pushed harder.  
"Come on, Livewire! The mall is going to close soon, and you still don't have an outfit!" M'gann called. I had been a member of the Team for almost four months, and it was the day before Christmas Eve. The girls and I were going to go shopping for all the last-minute things we needed, but I had to finish this first.  
"Come on! Stop being nice and finish him!" Artemis called, getting impatient. I pushed everything I had into one final burst, and pushed Wally's arm down, until his knuckles were pressed against the table.  
"Yes! " I cheered, standing and running to catch up to the other girls.  
"Was an arm-wrestling match really that important?" Zatanna asked as we stepped into the hanger, Miss M waking the Bio-Ship. I just stared at her as we walked up the ramp, taking our seats. "Of course it was. Forgive me for asking," she said after a second. I just laughed as we flew out, watching the bay zip by beneath us as we headed towards the mall. We were all quiet, lost in our own thoughts, for a little bit.  
"So, Miss M, what are you getting for La'Gaan?" I asked, getting bored of the silence. La'Gaan was the only one I ever called by his civilian name out loud. She blushed, ducking her head.  
"I got him a sweater. Is that not the custom on Earth?" she asked, when Zatanna, Artemis, and I just looked at each other. We all quickly assured her that it was completely right, and he would love it, but I know I wasn't the only one biting the inside of my cheek to keep from laughing. "What about you, for Nightwing?" M'gann asked, looking at Zatanna. It was her turn to blush.  
"I got him some pieces for his bike, from WayneTech," she said, ducking her head to hide her blush. I couldn't help laughing at the irony. The other three just stared at me.  
"Okay, let's just all assume from now on that I know some things about Nightwing, and Robin, that you don't, so I will laugh at odd and probably rude moments," I said once I could breathe again. The girls just nodded and went back to their conversation. I had done similar things at all sorts of odd moments, so they were pretty used to it anyway. I just sat back, watching the shore get closer. I turned back around when I realized that they'd stopped talking, and were looking at me. "What? Did one of the boys do something to my braid?" I asked, trying to turn so I could see the top part in my reflection in the window.  
"We just asked if you bought a special gift for a special someone this year," Zatanna said, hiding a smile. I shook my head. Why had _his_ face popped into my head at the words 'special someone'?  
"No. I got the entire Team the same gift," was all I said, turning back to the window. I heard the conversation resume behind me again, but I felt all of them looking at me from time to time. What had those boys done to my hair? I had changed into civies and sunglasses, but I hadn't checked my hair. We touched down in Happy Harbor Mall parking lot soon afterwards, making us all forget about boys. We ran around the mall getting the last of the food, decorations, and even a couple last minute gifts. As the other girls were debating red streamers and green balloons or green streamers and red balloons, I snuck off. I wandered around until I had everything I needed, then went back to my friends, just in time to hear them decide that red streamers and green balloons was better. I know they knew I had disappeared, and noticed my bag, which I'd stuffed everything into, but they didn't say anything. We finished our shopping and headed back to Mount Justice, to start setting up.

I stumbled into my room that night, exhausted, and we had only decorated little more than half of what we needed done. And I still had things to do. I had stolen the wrapping paper, tape, and scissors from the Lounge, knowing that no one would miss them for the ten minutes it would take me to wrap my gifts. I dumped my prizes out onto my desk, lining them up. An old, leather-bound copy of Grimms' fairy tales, and a diamond necklace and a man's emerald ring from the expensive jewelry shop across the street from the mall. I wrapped them all, leaving the necklace and ring in their boxes. I snuck the wrapping things back to the Lounge just in time for some of the guys to come in, to finish some decorating of their own. Wally and Dick's hands were filled with mistletoe, Kaldur had ribbon, Tim had nails, and Connor was holding a hammer. I ducked instinctively, and was glad I did when I heard what they were talking about.  
"So man, you finding a way to get Zatanna under this stuff?" Wally asked Dick, waving a sprig of mistletoe around. Dick blushed and turned away.  
"What I plan on doing tomorrow is none of your business," he snapped, but it was ruined by him having to stop every three words and clear his throat. Wally snickered and nudged Kaldur with his elbow.  
"You hear that? Nightwing and Zatanna, sittin' in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G," he sing-songed. Kaldur simply rolled his eyes and cut a ribbon to hang the mistletoe with.  
"Who do you want to get in here, Wally?" Tim asked, because it was obvious Nightwing wasn't going to say anything soon, the way he was turning purple.  
"Artemis," Connor said from where he was standing, waiting for them so he could hang the mistletoe. Wally spluttered and choked, causing everyone else to start laughing.  
"I would never want to move in you your girl, buddy," Wally responded, when he could speak again.  
"...So, what about you Kaldur? Did you guys have a tradition like this in Posidonis?" Tim asked, turning to where Aqualad was tying a bow around the mistletoe.  
"We did not have a tradition like this. Though, if I understand it properly, there is a girl I am considering trying to 'get under this stuff,'" he responded, his fingers slowing.  
"Ohhh, who? And what is there to understand? You get a girl under it, and you kiss!" Wally said, sounding like a little gossip-greedy girl to me.  
"Yes, that is the part that I...Never mind," Kaldur said, finishing the bow with a flourish to hide the blush creeping up his cheeks. The boys quickly finished all the doors, the hanging lights over the island and counter, and even one above the couch. For that last one, I had to scramble to hide under the coffee table so I wasn't seen. I waited until they were gone, and got out. I quickly headed towards my room, which also happened to be through the door the boys had left through. When I opened the door, I ran into a very surprised Kaldur. He stepped back a half-step so I wouldn't fall over, his arms automatically going around my waist to hold me up. We both started to step apart, but froze at the same time, and looked up in synch. The sprig of mistletoe seemed to grin evilly down at us. I quickly spun us around so my back was to the hall and his was to the kitchen, planted a faint, yet very brave, kiss on his cheek, turned, and fled. I didn't stop running until I was safely in my room, the door locked behind me. I turned off the lights and stumbled over to my bed, managing to stub my pinkie toe three times before collapsing on top of my quilt. I was quickly asleep, dreaming of when things were better, life was perfect, and I only had one hard decision in my life.

"Get up, sleepyhead!" M'gann called, pulling my quilt out from over my head the next morning. I groaned and rolled over, burying my head under my pillow. She levitated me out of bed and over to my closet. "Come on, it's Christmas Eve! And we still have to decorate before the party!" she said, running out of my room. I pulled on a suit, which Alfred had helped me make several more of, and quickly did my hair, makeup, and pulled on my mask. I grabbed the balloons and helium tank and started to blow up the rest of the balloons for the rooms we had done last night. When I was done with that, I met the other girls, plus Red Tornado, in the Mission Room, the final room we had to decorate. With Tornado's help, we quickly had the decorations done. We had invited the whole Team, plus some special Justice League members to a small party, which was scheduled so we could all go to the official Justice League party on the Watchtower together. Almost before I had the final balloon tied, I was being drug off to get ready. I managed to escape a full mani-pedi, and hid in my room after a shower, looking through my closet. I finally settled on black tights, a red mini skirt over them, a green one-shoulder sweater that stopped in the middle of my stomach over a black tank, and black boots that came to the middle of my calf, made of the same thing as Batman's boots. I made sure that I wasn't wearing anything that wasn't hindering to my movement that couldn't be taken off quickly. I pulled on all my bracelets, bangles, and hair ties, brushing my hair out to its full length, to my knees. I took small bits and braided it with red and green beads, leaving the rest of it loose. I sat down with my nail polish, and painted my nails black with sparkly green and red swirly patterns. Then I sat down to do my makeup. I was nervous, but managed to still make it look okay, with eyeliner at the perfect thickness, concealer covering my freckles, the perfect shade of blush, and just some lip gloss on my lips. I carefully put my mask on and headed down the door towards M'gann's room. I found Artemis and Zatanna already there, making the final adjustments to their outfits with M'gann. Artemis was in a knee-length golden dress with a wide green ribbon belt right under the bust, green flats, and just some concealer and blush, her nails painted white with a gold stripe along the edge to match her dress. Zatanna was in a red calf-length dress with a V-neck I knew Nightwing would love, 3/4 sleeves, strappy red heels, and makeup like Artemis'. M'gann was in a green mini skirt and tube top, a pair of silver stilettos, and wearing makeup like mine. I was admitted into the room with much squealing, gushing, and general excited girl happiness. We finished making sure our outfits were perfect, then walked to the Mission Room, where the party officially was. There were snacks in the kitchen I knew, and I whispered to the girls not to go into or out of the kitchen with any of the guys, though I refused to elaborate, no matter how much they begged, saying only they'd understand if they looked. Then we reached the Mission Room, the last guests to our own party. We paused in the doorway, looking around at everyone and making sure everything looked perfect. It was then I noticed all the talking had stopped, and everyone in the room was staring at us.

Kaldur'ahm's P.o.V.

I had been speaking with Red Tornado, before I heard the room get very quiet. I did not understand why, until I followed everyone's gazes towards the door. Zatanna, M'gann, Artemis, and Livewire were standing in the doorway, looking around awkwardly. Of course, as soon as I laid eyes on Livewire, the rest of the room seemed to fade away. She looked beautiful, her hair down and framing her face, her outfit the perfect balance between festive for the holidays and her favorite color; black. She nervously rolled the hem of her skirt between her fingers, her bracelets jangling and clinking. I could not be sure, because she wore her mask, but I believe she glanced at me before looking away, the light blush obvious on her face. I felt my own face heat up at the memory of our surprise meeting the previous night.  
"That bad of a party?" Artemis asked, seeming to break the spell of silence in the room. People began to talk again, most going up to the girls and congratulating them on planning the wonderful party. I stood back, near the wall, not wanting to get stuck in the crowd. I heard footsteps approaching from my right, and turned to see Livewire walking up. Because of the dipping neckline of her sweater, I saw a tattoo I had not seen before, when she turned around to talk briefly to someone behind her, and swept her hair over one shoulder. "Regina Lapsus" was inked between her shoulder blades, where it normally would have been covered by her suit.  
"I am sure you have already heard this, but this is a very nice party," I said, once she was close enough. She blushed again and ran her hand through her hair, making the beads in her braids clicking along with her bracelets.  
"I didn't really do anything. I just helped decorate, the real masterminds were those three," she said, rolling the compliment off and pointing to the crowd I assumed Zatanna, Artemis, and M'gann were still at the center of. "But I'm glad you're enjoying it," she added, looking back at me.  
"I am enjoying it much more, now that you are here," I said, sounding like Wally even to my own ears. Why had I said that? She blushed harder and ran a hand through her hair again, which I was beginning to understand was a nervous habit, biting her lip and looking at the ground.  
"Would you like some punch?" Red Tornado asked, coming up to us with two cups of punch from the kitchen. We both nodded and took our cups. I took a small sip, grimaced, and swallowed. Livewire, noticing my reaction, took a slightly larger sip of hers. She gagged, swallowed, and took another sip. I could see anger in the set of her jaw, and she swallowed the rest of her cup in one swallow. Handing her now empty cup to me, she stormed off to the kitchen, where I heard some rattling. Then she stomped back out, fists clenched.  
"WALLY!" she shouted over the din of all the talking. Instantly, it got silent again, and everyone took a step back from Wally. She marched up to him and jabbed a finger into his chest. "You _spiked_ the punch, with _VODKA_?!" she demanded, and Wally looked down. "Ugh!" she screamed, throwing her hands up and storming back into the kitchen. Everyone looked after her, but no one dared to follow. I handed our cups to Red Tornado and made my way into the kitchen, where Livewire was sitting at a stool, her head in her hands.  
"Where am I going to get more punch?" I heard her ask herself. I halted a respectful distance from her, and folded my hands behind my back.  
"Is there any way I could be of assistance?" I asked, making her jump. She spun around, looking ready to yell. But when she saw it was only me, the anger on her face dissipated.  
"What am I going to do?" she asked, standing and coming over to me. She wrapped her arms around my shoulders and pressed her face into my neck just to the inside of my gills, her mask cool and her breath warm against my skin. Instinctively I brought my arms up, one around her waist and one around her shoulder blades, one hand cupping the back of her neck and the other on the curve of her ribs. She clung to me, pulling strength from some hidden part of herself. Finally she looked up, and I took a respectful step back. "You want to help me make more punch?" she asked, looking slightly hopeful. I knew she could do it on her own, but a small part of me wanted to say yes, just to spend more time with her. Apparently that small part of me controlled my mouth, for I heard myself say,  
"Yes, I would enjoy that." She quickly brought out all the things we needed and we set to work, trying to melt the frozen juice without the bottle exploding, having difficulties with the soda forming a geyser when we opened it, and just having general trouble. We finally got the juice into the bowl, and enough soda stayed in the bottle for it to work. I cleaned the counter from the soda fountain as Livewire made signs telling which punch had alcohol in it. Then she went out to the Mission Room and announced that more punch had been made, but the spiked punch had been kept as well, for all the guests who were of a legal age for alcohol consumption, of course. Then she re-entered the kitchen and gave me another lingering hug, holding me tightly.  
"Thank you," she whispered to me as she pulled away, and I could feel the sincerity behind her words. I nodded and slid my hands down her arms from where they'd been on her shoulders, giving her hands a reassuring squeeze before letting go. I followed her out to the party again, in time to hear Flash, Batman, and Red Tornado give Wally three months of laundry duty for his prank. I mingled for a while, talking and laughing. But only a part of my mind was engaged with the others. The rest kept returning to hugging Livewire, the feeling of her in my arms, how she was the perfect size to bury her face in my neck, how she had been so careful of my gills, how she was soft, girlish curves over hardened muscles. How _right_ she had felt with her arms around me and mine around her. The last person I had felt this way about had been...Tula. Was I developing romantic feelings for Livewire?

Veronica's P.o.V.

I mingled with everyone, but only part of me was paying attention. The rest of me kept replaying my hugs with Kaldur, feeling his strong arms around me, anchoring me to him. I had been able to feel the definition of his chest through his thin button-up, and I blushed every time I thought about it. I had known he had muscles, but I didn't know just _how_ muscled he was. I couldn't stop thinking about how _right_ it had felt to stand in his arms, surrounded by his scent of the sea, my face buried in his neck. I hoped he didn't think I was too forward, or too needy, for hugging him not once but twice. The last person I'd felt this way about had been... _No, don't go there,_ I commanded my mind. Was I falling for Aqualad?  
"I hope you don't mind if we duck out early, but we have to get some things done up at the Watchtower before you get there. Come up in an hour," Green Arrow said, getting everyone's attention.  
"Oh, it's alright. We have gifts to give each other anyway," Zatanna said, and the Team nodded. The Justice Leaguers nodded, and Zeta-Beamed up to the Watchtower.  
"Use the Bio-Ship, when you come up," Black Canary said, the last one to leave. "The guys can't estimate time for the lives of them when it's not life threatening, the extra time couldn't hurt." We all just smiled and nodded, waiting until she was gone to begin the mad dash to our rooms, digging out secret presents we'd hidden away. I walked into the Lounge and sat down on the love seat, without bothering to go to my room first. I wasn't giving them physical gifts this year. Everyone began to come in, making sure to come in alone, taking seats on the floor, couches, and chairs around the coffee table. Kaldur was the last one in, which meant he had to take the only open seat, next to me. M'gann went first. She had gotten us all hideous Christmas sweaters. We all grinned and thanked her, and some even tried theirs on then. We went around the circle. Because M'gann was next to me in the circle, I got to go last, and Kaldur got to go before me. He handed everyone small packages wrapped in thick seaweed. I carefully opened mine, knowing how to unfold it so that the seaweed was one big square again, spread on my lap. Laying in the center was a delicately worked piece of ruby limestone. I felt my face break into a smile as I held it up to the light.  
"Do you like it?" Kaldur leaned over and whispered. I smiled and ran my fingers over it.  
"I love it," I whispered back.  
"Okay, I know what the rest of our gifts are, but _what_ is yours, Livewire?" Wally asked, looking closely at the charm. I ran my fingers over it again.  
"It's a sea dragon," I answered, feeling the smooth curve of his wings, and the ridges of his spine. I set the carved figure on the table, and it seemed almost to glow from the inside. Then it flapped its wings, and let out a little roar. Everyone else looked shocked and slightly scared, and leaned back. But I clapped my hands like a little girl, leaning forward to see it better.  
"He was enchanted by Queen Mera herself, to simulate life," Kaldur answered my unasked question. He reached into the bag he'd gotten out gifts out of and pulled out a small silver cage, that looked like a Chinese cricket cage. "The cage is also enchanted, he will not be able to escape from it," he said, putting it next to the dragon on the table. "His name is Garr'aht." I smiled and picked up Garr'aht. He curled up in my palm and fell 'asleep', his tiny chest rising and falling, and a warmth coming from inside him, like he really was alive. I gently opened the cage and put him inside, taking my time setting him back on the table. I looked around at all my friends, looking them each in they eye before moving on.  
"I didn't get you any physical presents this year. But, I was thinking. You all have shown me compassion and trusted me, without actually knowing me at all. So, I've decided to ignore Batman, again, and do what I want. For this time only, I will answer any question truthfully, and will comply to almost any request." I put the emphasis on 'almost' and looked at Wally. Nightwing was the first to speak up.  
"Take off your mask," he said. I could almost _hear_ the wheels turning in his brain, trying to figure out who I was before I showed him. Of course, if it'd taken this long, I doubted he could figure it out in the five seconds it would take me to take my mask off. I leaned forward, so my hair was covering my face, and took my mask off, laying it on the table. Then I leaned back up, and moved my hair out of my face. "_You!_" he shouted, leaping to his feet.  
"Me," I agreed, leaning back into the love seat. Everyone was staring at us, trying to figure out what it apparently took Robin three seconds to figure out.  
"You mean _she's_-"  
"Yup," I said, smiling. "Some 'skiing trip' you've got here," I said, making sure to use the finger quotes.  
"You mean...?" Nightwing asked, sinking back into his chair.  
"Every skiing trip, swim meet, track meet, basketball game, soccer game, dinner party, invitation to do something with a visiting dignitary, day you weren't feeling well, and grandmother's birthday," I said, counting off on my fingers the excuses he'd used to leave Wayne Manner to come here. He at least had the decency to look embarrassed. I rolled my eyes, and looked around. "Any other questions? Or did I get off easy?" Wally was the next to speak up.  
"What's your name?" I leaned forward, propping my elbows on my knees.  
"My name, or my full name?" I asked.  
"Full name," Zatanna spoke up.  
"Veronica Anaranjado Marie Arabella Jemma Estrella Louisa Viviane Josaphina VonTrathenworth," I said in one breath. "But all my friends call me Vee." Everyone but La'gaan and Kaldur's jaws were hanging open. I knew it was not uncommon for Atlanteans to have much longer and more complicated names than mine.  
"Where does Nightwing know you from?" Artemis asked.  
"From before," was all I said.  
"What does your tattoo mean?" Kaldur asked, speaking up for the first time.  
"'Fallen Queen', in Latin." He nodded. The rest just looked at me, so I stood and turned so they could see my tattoo.  
"Why do you look familiar? I feel like I've seen your face before," Zatanna mused. I smiled and pulled my phone from inside my boot. I pulled up the news story of Dick and I 'dating' and showed it to her. "Oh, that was you?" I understood why she looked so flustered. The day after the news story had come out, I had walked into the Mission Room from the Zeta-Tube, and Zatanna, Artemis, and M'gann were discussing the story, which they'd pulled up with the Holo-Projector.  
"Yup. Now, are we going to go?" I looked over at M'gann. "Miss Martian?"  
"Oh, no, we're off duty. Call me M'gann. And that's-" I cut her off before she could go through the list.  
"I know," I said, holding up a hand. "And I know who those to clowns are, though Batman would kill me if I revealed who all three of us are in one night," I said, pointing to Robin and Nightwing. We all stood and went to the Hangar. I stopped by my room to drop off Garr'aht, and grabbed the bag I'd stuffed the presents I'd wrapped the night before, plus a dress and a pair of heels, in. We all boarded the Bio-Ship and took off, sitting two to a bench. I was next to Kaldur again, and every time we'd hit turbulence, or M'gann would turn without warning, and we were thrown against each other, I would blush and look away. My interrogation was still going on, of course, but now things had turned to a more...personal level.  
"That depends. If you count Dick Grayson, like most of the news stations did, until that all died down, then yes. But otherwise, no I have no boyfriend," I answered Zatanna's question.  
"If you had to date one person on the Team, who would it be?" Artemis asked, leaning forward to catch my answer. I blushed and looked at my feet, embarrassed at the speed _his_ name came into my head. I don't know when I had developed a crush on _him_, but I had noticed it really for the first time yesterday, when I had been asked about my 'special someone.'  
"Ohhhh," Zatanna, Artemis, and M'gann said together, grinning.  
"What about if you could date anyone in the world?" M'gann asked. I just blushed harder and started to pick at the hem of my skirt. The other three burst into laughter.  
"It's not funny!" I cried, my entire face tomato red. They just laughed harder as Kaldur tried to comfort me, and I ended up burying my face in my hands. We couldn't dock at the Watchtower fast enough. I ran off the Bio-Ship as soon as contact was made, only to be stopped by Black Canary and Aquaman, who I ran into.  
"Sorry!" I said, trying to duck past them. Black Canary had already seen my face though, and caught my arm.  
"Why so red?" she asked casually. I couldn't help darting a glance back at the Bio-Ship, where the girls were now getting off, surrounding Kaldur and laughing. Canary just smiled knowingly and said "Oh," before walking off, dragging me with her. She finally let me go in the kitchen, where Wonder Woman was putting the finishing touches on an interesting-looking dish that must have come from her native country of Themyscira.  
"Wonder Woman!" Black Canary called, pushing me forward. "Maybe Livewire could help you? I know that she knows some great recipes from her home country. I'll talk to them," she whispered to me as she pushed me farther forward at Wonder Woman's nod.  
"Please, my name is Veronica. But my friends call me Vee," I said, pulling an apron over my head. Black Canary's head whipped around. "Yes, go tell the all-powerful Batman that I disobeyed a direct order and told the Team my name." She just sighed, rolled her eyes, and walked out.  
"We're off duty, call me Diana," Wonder Woman said as she made rom for me at the counter.  
"I know. We've met," I said, tying my apron. Diana looked at me out of the corner of her eye as she finished chopping a carrot. "I was the friend of Dick's that the news was sure he was dating. You came to the mansion that night for a date with Bruce." I grinned and raised my eyebrows. She blushed and scooped the carrots into the pot with a little more force than was necessary. She finished her soup in silence as I started on a dessert that had been a favorite of mine as a child: Atlantean sea-flower pie. Because Aquaman often got homesick for what he calls 'a proper meal,' all the ingredients were in the kitchen. I sat on the counter after I put the pie in the oven, and looked at Diana. She was pretending to be reading a cookbook, but I could tell she was actually watching me work; her eyes followed all my movements, and the cookbook was upside down.  
"Can I talk to you? Not as one hero to another, not as a girl to her superior, but as on princess to another?" I asked suddenly, slightly startling her.  
"Yes. You're a princess?" she put down her cookbook, still not realizing it was upside down. I nodded, swinging my legs like a small child.  
"Crown princess of Tirrtuul. That's actually what I wanted to talk to you about. I know you you'll understand, even if you have a biased point of view." She just nodded for me to continue, folding her hands on top of the table. "My cousin Tachler is crown prince, and he must marry before he can succeed my father. Because I am not in his immediate family, and I am crown princess, I am the logical choice. They wish him to be married soon, so he may take his place on the throne next spring. And I know, it is my royal duty to help the line continue in any way that I can, even if it means marrying a cousin I barely know, who is almost ten years older than me. And before, I would have had no hesitation. But now, now that I know the Team, the League, and I've made friends and seen what joys life can hold, sitting in a throne room all day under armed guard, not allowed to do anything for myself...I don't want it. Now that I've met people, and I've found a boy that I can imagine spending the rest of my life with, probably not married but at least together, fighting side-by-side. And I don't know what to do." I knotted my fingers in the hem of my skirt, looking at my lap. I heard Diana get up and walk around, and I felt her hand on my cheek, gently tilting my face up to look into her eyes.  
"I know how you feel, trying to decide if you should follow your duty or your heart. And I know how hard that decision is. I don't know the answer, and I can't tell you what you're supposed to do. Only you can decide that. But let me give you a piece of advice I wish someone had given me: think about them both, but not from your point of view. Where are you needed most, by people? Where does your heart feel it belongs? If you look close enough, it's usually the same answer." Then she hugged me and walked out, going to join the party. When the timer beeped for my pie, I was still sitting there, thinking about what she had said. I quickly pulled it out of the oven and set it to cool, still thinking. I didn't realize until later that there had been another person listening to my conversation with Wonder Woman. By the time the pie was cool, I had made my decision, and our mystery eavesdropper was long gone.

"What do I smell?" Captain Marvel asked as I came into the party with my pie.  
"Atlantean sea-flower pie," I responded, setting it on the table. Most of the League looked at me with surprise, then the pie with disgust. "Done right."  
"Yes!" La'gaan cheered, reaching the pie just after his king. They took heaping plates, but I knew only a few people would like it. They both took huge bites, and froze, trying to figure out what they'd just put in their mouths.  
"Let me rephrase. Atlantean sea-flower pie, done dessert," I said, scooping myself a piece. "I switched the fish, squid, shrimp, crab, and sea-urchin meat for cherries, strawberries, blueberries, and apples." They had finished their bites by then, and were digging in to the rest of their plates with gusto. I dished up a generous piece and grabbed a fork, looking around. I finally found him with his back to the party, looking out at the space on the other side of the window. "Hey. I saved some from La'gaan and King Orin for you," I said, handing Kaldur the piece. He took it, and took a bite, still looking out at the stars. He chewed thoughtfully for a moment, then swallowed. "I know it's not as good as in Posidonis, but-"  
"You are right, it is not as good as in Posidonis. It is better," he cut me off, putting another bite in his mouth. I blushed and turned so I was facing the window. I could see the reflection of the party behind me, and I could also see the pain and the conflict in Kaldur's eyes.  
"What's wrong?" I asked, not turning to face him. "Don't tell me it's nothing."  
"I was just thinking about how much Tula would have loved to see this," he said, motioning to the window. "She always wanted to see space. She said that the oceans weren't big enough for her curiosity anymore, and she needed something bigger." The pain was obvious in his voice. I had learned the story of Tula, Kaldur, and Garth from Red Tornado, of all people. Er...androids. I reached the arm that wasn't holding my plate around his shoulders and gave him a gentle squeeze. He had loved her, and she had been ripped painfully away from him. His words helped me cement my decision, though.  
"I can't claim to know exactly what you're going through. But I know loss, and how hard it is. Especially at this time of year." Unbidden, an image of Mr. and Mrs. Grayson came to my mind, laughing with Auntie Jallyin. We stood there in silence for a while. Then I wandered away, to find Dinah. "I would normally never ask this, but may I use the holo-video equipment in your room?" I asked her, once I found her. Dinah just nodded and led me out, through the twisting and turning halls of the Watchtower.  
"Take as long as you need. I can get them to hold off your surprises until you're done," she said, shutting the door behind herself. I quickly called up the holo-video screen, and checked my hair and outfit before connecting the call. When the person on the other end picked up, I was on my knees on the floor, my head bowed respectfully.  
"Who dares disturb me on Christmas Eve!" a voice on the other end demanded. I didn't dare look up.  
"Crown Princess Veronica. Forgive me for my intrusion on Christmas, Your Majesty, but I wished to inform you I have made my decision regarding my marriage to His Highness, Crown Prince Tachler."  
"Yes?" he demanded impatiently.  
"I do not wish to tell my answer now, because I know that there is always someone monitoring calls to and from the Watchtower. But I will be visiting some time tonight, and we can finalize everything then." There was silence on the other end, but I didn't dare look up until I was sure he'd hung up.  
"Fine. But let me tell you, make your decision very carefully. The rest of your life depends on this."  
"Yes, sir. I am completely sure of my choice."  
"Good. Until later, Princess Veronica."  
"Until later, Your Majesty." I stayed on my knees with my head bowed until I heard the chime of the holo-projector shutting off. "Until later, Father," I whispered. Then I climbed slowly to my feet, running my hands through my hair to get it out of my face. Now that it was final, I knew there was no going back. But a small part of my brain nagged at me, "_What if you had chosen the other way? Would you still feel guilty about it? Or did you make the wrong choice?_" I walked out of Dinah's room, shutting the door after me. I had been so engrossed in my thoughts, though, I hadn't noticed that the door had been cracked open when I left.

When I returned to the party, everyone was still talking, laughing, and having a good time. Even Kaldur had left his post at the window and was laughing and talking with Aquaman and Superman. I plastered a smile to my face and walked in, making sure Dinah saw me from the corner of her eye.  
"Okay, everyone! Settle down!" she called, trying to bring order to the crazy room.  
"Everyone shut up!" Hawkwoman bellowed. This brought quick and complete silence to the room. "Dinah wants to say something." Dinah stepped up again, smiling gratefully at Shayera.  
"We in the Justice League know the hard work the Team has done, both for us and with us. We also know that you are underappreciated for everything you do. We in the League are the public figures because the public figures are always the ones in the most danger, but we also get all the credit, when much of it is due to you. So, we decided that we'd give you all gifts. It doesn't make up for taking your credit, but we want to try and tell you that we are grateful for all you have done for us. Each member of the Team was assigned to a member of the League, and they were to get you a gift. Only Martian Manhunter and Red Tornado know who was assigned to whom, so when I call out the name of your Team member, please step forward, raise your hand, something. Let's start with...Connor." Superman stepped forward, his hand in the air. We all froze as Connor's eyes locked onto Clark, but he didn't move. Clark walked over to Connor, bent down, and whispered something in his ear. Instantly, Connor's face lit up.  
"Really?" he asked, his voice filled with a childish delight. I turned a questioning eye to M'gann.  
_"He's taking him to Smallville for a week, to meet his parents and just hang out,"_ she said telepathicly. I smiled broadly, knowing that Connor had been wanting to spend some time with Clark more than anything.  
"M'gann," Dinah called. Wonder Woman stepped forward, and handed the Martian girl a neatly wrapped package. M'gann ripped off the wrapping paper, and a disk was in a case inside. She read the writing on the case, and screamed, throwing her arms around Diana.  
"Thank you so much!" she yelled, jumping up and down.  
"What did you get?" La'gaan asked, stepping up and putting his arm around her shoulders.  
"It goes into the Holo-Projector in the Mission Room, and projects my hometown! Uncle J'onn, you'll have to come see it some time!" Dinah was smiling as she stepped up.  
"Nightwing." Batman stepped up, and handed him a small, plain photo album. Dick opened it to the first page, and gasped. A picture of a boy flying through the air was in the first page, an expression of pure bliss on his young face, and trust that his father, who he was flying towards, would catch him and not let him fall, and his mother, who had just released him, had true aim. And there was a little girl in the background, standing on the tightrope platform, clutching the pole and leaning as close to them as she could, grinning a gap-toothed grin at her friend's joy. I wrapped one arm around his shoulders and hugged him tightly, as he ran his fingers over the clear plastic covering the picture. I could remember that performance exactly; it had been the first time they'd performed the trick in the show, and we were all slightly nervous.  
"Merry Christmas," I whispered, stepping back. He nodded and I could see him subtly wipe a tear from his eye.  
"Robin," Dinah called. Green Arrow stepped up, and handed him a box. Tim greedily opened it, and grinned.  
"Thanks!" he said, pulling out new pieces for his bike. I snuck over to the corner and pulled a neatly wrapped gift out, getting ready.  
"Artemis." Red Arrow stepped forward, but held up his empty hands. Artemis glared at him until I whistled from across the room, holding up the gift, which I'd gotten just in time. I pitched it across the room perfectly, and he caught it, presenting it to Artemis with a flourish. She tore off the wrapping paper, to reveal a new outfit, that had more pockets, and four extra quivers.  
"Yes!" she cheered, pumping her fist. Red Arrow smiled.  
"La'gaan." Doctor Fate stepped forward, and presented him with a small gem, pulsing with a dim golden light.  
"It will enhance your natural affinity for the mystic arts," Fate said, sounding oddly pleased by the green boy's clear delight in the glowing rock. I just rolled my eyes as Dinah went through the rest of the team. Finally, we were down to the last two names.  
"Kaldur'ahm." Aquaman stepped forward, and handed him an official-looking piece of seaweed paper. Kaldur quickly scanned it, then went back and read it again.  
"I am honored, my king," he said, bowing formally. Because he was next to Dick in front of me, I could read the paper. Kaldur was the official godfather of King Orin and Queen Mera's child. I smiled. Maybe a baby could help Kaldur embrace his childhood a bit more. None of us were children any more, but we had also neglected our childhoods; the world of crushes, high school exams, dates, parties, and everything else that came with being a normal teenager.  
"And finally, Vee." Batman's jaw clenched at my name. Because she had called Nightwing and Robin Nightwing and Robin, he knew that I had told my name to the Team. John Stewart stepped forward, handing me a dirty, bent, and rather old-looking large envelope.  
"Thank Bats," he whispered as he stepped back. I frowned in confusion as I carefully opened the envalope. I pulled out an aged piece of paper, folded into thirds and held with a piece of wax, stamped with an olive laurel, surrounding a stylized J. Auntie Jallyin's seal. I carefully pried the wax off the paper, keeping it in one piece.  
"_Dearest Anaranjado,_" the letter started, in Auntie Jallyin's beautiful, smooth handwriting. I could almost hear her inside my head, calling me by my first middle name, the only thing she ever called me by. "_Veronica is a princess in a far-off land, who is having unreasonable decisions thrust at her at an unreasonable age. But Anaranjado is a circus girl, queen of the tightrope, and spoiled by everyone,_" she always said when I asked her why she didn't call me Vee or Veronica, like everyone else. I smiled and looked back down at the letter. "_I do not know if you will ever read this. Perhaps you will be right, and I will outlive you by a million bajillion years, until the sun burns up and we all freeze to death. But that is doubtful. I know you think it is your duty and responsibility to marry Tachler, but it's not. You may be the Crown Princess, but you are still a human, and do not deserve to never get a chance to experience love. You have your cousins, the daughters of my dear sisters Kelleni and Marrati, that are just as capable of marrying him. The only reason your father insists you marry Tachler is that he knows that all the fortuine of your mother's and my side of the family will pass to you if you do not marry him, you being the oldest child of the oldest child. If you receive this after you have already married Tachler, give him a kiss and your father a slap for me, sweetheart. But if you have not, I know you will do what you know is right. If you believe that is marrying Tachler, I wish you both the best of luck. If you're reading this, it's most likely that the cancer took me. If it did, you mustn't blame yourself, darling. I know I haven't been the most terrific second mother to you, letting the entire company help raise you, but I love you. Please, darling, make something of your life. That boy, Dick, is going places. I can feel it in my bones. But, I know you can go farther. I don't want you to end up like I did, living with a circus so you don't have a permanent address so you can hide from the entire country you managed to tick off. Give Lukani a hug for me, next time you see him. That dear boy, putting duty before everything in his life. Maybe you could introduce him to the wonders of video games? I love you so very much, sweetheart. So very, very much. I must go now, you are pulling at me with that boy, Dick, to show me some new trick you taught the elephants. You were such a precious little child, so full of life and beauty. Please sweetheart, for the sake of your old aunt, don't let the world change your smile, but use your smile to change the world. Before I go, one last piece of advice, that I was given by a dear friend of mine, Kent Nelson. 'Find your own little spitfire, one that won't let you get away with nuthin'.' I love you dear. Forever and ever, Auntie Jallyin_" When I looked up from the letter, I realized I was crouched on the floor, tears streaming down my face. I looked up, and the entire Team and League was looking down at me. I threw myself at John Stewart, giving him a huge hug, before turning and tackling Batman. To everyone's surprise, after my arms had been around his neck for only a few seconds, his arms came up around my waist, hugging me back tightly. I eventually pulled away, carefully re-folding the letter. When I picked up the envelope to put the letter back in it, a stack of pictures, tied with a ribbon, fell out, to the floor. I picked them up, and they all seemed to have been take and printed on an old Kodak Polaroid. On the top was a young girl, bravely petting a lion through the bars of its cage. I gently thumbed though, seeing years of memories captured. I remembered how much fun Auntie and I had had with that old Polaroid. I put the pictures and the letter back in the envelope, and found something at the bottom. It was soft, and when I pulled it out, I couldn't help but laughing.  
"Remember this?" I asked Dick, unfolding and holding up an old, faded flannel blanket, about the right size for two children to sleep under. The pattern was still visable, horses galloping across the open plain on one side and penguins waddling across a frozen ice cap on the other. He laughed and nodded, holding a fistful up to his face.  
"It still smells like sawdust and face paint," he said, smiling. We had shared many nights under this blanket together as children, having 'camp outs' under the stars at our sites, between Auntie's trailer and the Graysons'. I carefully folded the blanket and put my treasures back into the envelope. While I had been talking to Dick, M'gann had been telepathicly fixing my makeup, so you couldn't tell I'd been crying.  
"Thank you," I said sincerely to John, then to Batman. The party resumed, and I put my gift into my bag, which I'd stashed in a corner. Soon, I decided it was time to go. But I still had one thing to do before I left. I got Batman, Dinah, and Diana's attention, and motioned them over. Once they had gotten to me, I decided there was no beating around the bush with what I wanted. "I've made my decision," I announced. These three were the only ones in the League that I'd told about Tachler and my marriage.  
"It's okay. I'm sure you can still go visit your famil-" Diana started, assuming she knew what I had chosen.  
"I have decided to accept the proposal, and marry Tachler." The adults froze, and I saw a vein pop out in Batman's neck.  
"You _WHAT_?!" he roared, getting the attention of everyone, very quickly. "No. I forbid it!" He was speaking so loudly I knew the entire Watchtower would be able to hear him. He turned away as if that closed it, but I was not to be deterred.  
"I wasn't asking for your permission. I was informing you before I left," I said loudly, my anger growing. Batman froze, his fists clenching.  
"You are sixteen years old! You are too young!" he yelled, turning back around.  
"There is an entire country that is suffering from starvation, sicknesses, and a tyrant on the throne! If this will get my father off the throne and someone more reasonable and caring on it, then what decision is there to be made? I cannot afford to be selfish and do what I would prefer, not when so many people hang in the balance!" I yelled right back. By now everyone was openly staring at us, even Dinah and Diana.  
"So to save them you go to a country where women are little more than property, and agree to marry a man you barely know, who's almost twice your age? There are better ways to help!"  
"Like what? Sneaking in food and medicine, trying to work around my father? It doesn't work! If I want any difference to be made, and it to be permanent, I have to do this! You have two options about this; get mad at me as I do this, or not get mad at me. But you cannot stop me." With that I picked up my bag and walked out, down to the hanger. I prepped and checked a pod, clearing my flight plan with the Royal Air Force of Tirrtuul. Then I strapped myself into the seat, opened the bay doors remotely, and flew out into the vacuum of space, leaving my broken heart behind, replacing it with an iron heart, incapable of breaking. I entered the atmosphere as Crown Princess Veronica, who was willing to do anything for her people.

* * *

**Hey guys! Sorry it took so long, but I gave you a long chapter to make up for it! I hope you liked that little bit more about her past, but since I'm sure no one is even reading this anymore, oh well! Please, please, PLEASE!, review. The more reviews I get, the faster I can get more chapters up! I think that's it for now, love ya'll!**

**All but Vee: *glaring at me*  
Me: What? I didn't do anything!  
Artemis: Really? You're sending her off to get married after TWO AND A HALF CHAPTERS?!  
Me: Oh, don't get your panties in a twist. It'll work out. I wouldn't have said it was a KaldurxOC story if there was only going to be this much KaldurxOC. Anyway, I hope you all liked it! Bye!**

**-IceQueen2196**


	4. Vee's Family

**Disclaimer: I only own Vee, Rahaella, Jax, the king, the queen, Mezzi, and Tachler. Oh, and the guard guy. Everyone else belongs to whoever owns them. You know the drill.**

**Wally: *snatching chapter from me and reading it quickly* Finally! I had a bet with Dick that they would get together before the fifth chapter!  
Dick: *coming in after Wally* Oh man! I just lost fifty bucks to _Wally_?  
Me: *taking chapter back from Wally* That's what you get for betting on Kaldur and Vee! All bets on Artemis and Wally are okay though.  
Wally: *glaring at me*  
Me: :D**

* * *

I landed in the courtyard behind the palace, tapping my seatbelt to release it. I took a deep breath, and walked out. I followed the twisting paths through the garden by memory, even though I had been a little girl the last time I had come. I heard footsteps on the gravel paths behind me, and ducked into a small alcove, hidden from the path. I sprang out at my mysterious stalker, slamming him to the ground and pressing my forearm into his windpipe. It took my brain a second to register who was underneath me, and I quickly rolled off.  
"You shouldn't be here," I said, laying on my back and looking up at the stars.  
"I could not let you do this alone," he said, rolling onto his side to look at me. "I do not believe this is the right course of action, but if it is your choice, I will support you." Of all the Team, it _had_ to be _him_ who followed me, didn't it? "And I have a confession to make. I was listening to your conversation with Wonder Woman, and your video call." He held his breath, like he expected me to be mad. I reached over and squeezed his hand, reassuring myself as much as him.  
"Kaldur! You have to make this even harder for me, don't you?" I asked, close to tears. The Atlantean quickly scooted himself closer, leaning to look down into my face.  
"I do not mean to make this harder. Tell me what you need to make this easier, and consider it done." I closed my eyes and bit my lip, feeling the gentle movement of his breath on my face.  
"For you to be less caring, thoughtful, strong, good looking, and amazing?" I suggested after a moment. I could feel him studying my face, and I could imagine the exact shade of pale green his eyes were. I felt his finger gently run along my cheek bone, and his breath got stronger, like he had leaned closer.  
"You will make an amazing queen," he murmured, and I could feel his breath move across my lips. I opened my eyes, and he was even closer than I had thought, his nose almost touching mine. I reached up and ran my hand over his cheek, feeling his strong facial structure.  
"It's not being queen I'm worried about. It's being half here, and half not. My mind and body might be here, but my heart will always belong to someone on the Team." He gazed sadly down at me.  
"I know the feeling. I was that way myself, when I still had feelings for-"  
"-Tula." I cut him off, looking into his eyes. "Red Tornado told me the story of what happened." I slid my hand down to his neck, being careful of his gills, my thumb coming up in front of his ear. In spite of myself, I felt tears prickling the back of my eyes and nose. "She was a very lucky girl." His hand that was on the ground curled into a fist.  
"She died too young; she didn't get to get married, have children, be a grandmother and a great-grandmother, like she always planned to." I could see his eyes glistening with tears, too.  
"She lived more in her short life than many people who live to be ninety get to live, she was loved by the best Atlantean to ever grace the oceans, and Garth too. Do you really think she'd be happy being an old great-grandmother, sitting at home and knitting, telling stories of her glory days to her great-grandchildren?" He looked sadly down at me.  
"They keep telling me that I'll forget how I felt about her. That I'll find someone else, and Tula will just become someone I used to know. But that will never happen, I can never forget her." I softly stroked his cheek with my thumb.  
"You won't ever forget her. The pain will dull, with years of age, but you won't forget her. But, you might find someone else. Someone who, when she looks at you, you know Tula would be happy for you and the happiness that she gives you." This was about all the romantic stuff I could take for one night, though, so I stood and dusted myself off, going to retrieve my bag, which was still in the alcove. I stood up, and felt his hand on my back.  
"You missed a spot," was all he said, brushing off the remaining gravel dust. I nodded, taking his hand and leading him to the palace. We dropped hands once we got within sight, and were glad we had done so when a guard rounded the corner.  
"Halt! Who dares approach the palace?" he said stiffly, but he couldn't have been much older than Kaldur and I. "You must leave at once!"  
"You dare order your crown princess and heir to the throne about like a common serf?" I demanded, every bit the royal princess I was. I walked confidently forward, Kaldur falling into step behind me. "Step aside or face the wrath of the royal family." The guard quickly backed up, ordering the doors be opened for us. Kaldur followed me without a word, until the doors were closed.  
"I am a guest in your house now, I will wait wherever you wish," he said, and I stopped and turned to face him.  
"Would you mind- that is, would it be a bother-I mean...will you come with me? I'd feel better facing my father if I knew a friend had my back." He looked surprised at my request.  
"This is a most intimate time for your family. I would not wish to intrude." I took his hand and pulled him after me.  
"Come. First we stop by my suite, then we find out where Father is." I pulled him up and down flights of stairs, and down long, winding corridors, finally stopping in front of a simple wooden door. I pushed it open, revealing a small bedroom with adjoining bathroom and its own balcony. I sat the bag down on the bed, which was freshly made. I pulled out a long black cloak, which I fastened around my shoulders, the lilac accents twining up and around to the silver clasp. I used the bathroom to make sure I looked perfect, then came back out. Kaldur was looking at things, sometimes picking them up to examine them. I walked over to my dresser, and opened the top drawer. A thin silver tiara rested on a faded blue velvet cushion, and I lifted it, setting it gently on top of my hair. I squared my shoulders and straightened my spine, making myself look as regal as possible. _Who am I fooling? I'm a girl that's just trying to do something important,_ I muttered to myself inside my head. I picked up my bag from the bed again, and opened the door, following Kaldur out. I knew the servant's passages around my room well, and where Tachler's rooms would be, if he hadn't moved. I pushed a tapestry aside and opened a small wooden door in the wall, grabbing the railing for support as I made my way up the winding stairs to the actual passage. I paused in front of the door so quickly Kaldur ran into me, but I was too distracted to notice. I could hear something on the other side, and it sounded suspiciously like... I threw open the door, and confirmed my suspicions. There, in the passage, a girl was being pressed against the wall, making out passionately with the boy in front of her. I cleared my throat, and they sprang apart. I got a glimpse of the girl, and my eyebrows shot up. "Mezzi?" I asked, looking at my cousin's flushed face. I turned my gaze to the boy, and my eyebrows reached my hairline, before a grin spread across my face. "And Tachler. Well, this could work," I mused, stepping into the small hall so Kaldur could come in after me. Both Mezzi and Tachler were a deep crimson red.  
"It-it's not what you think," Tachler stammered, his voice deep. "And who are you to pass judgement on your crown prince and heir to the throne?" I looked at him and snorted.  
"So, when I think that you and Mezzi are secretly together, and you want to marry me just as much as I want to marry you, I'm wrong?" I asked. Mezzi ran her hand through her hair. Just a few years younger than Tachler, she was beautiful, with thick black hair and piercing green eyes. "Oh, and I'm not passing judgement, but I'm the crown princess and the one being forced to marry you." Tachler and Mezzi's eyebrows rose and their jaws dropped.  
"Well, I guess that's it for us," Mezzi said to Tachler, and I could hear the heartbreak in her voice.  
"Maybe not," I said, putting out a hand to stop her before she could leave. I looked at the other three in the passage. "How good are you at bluffing?"

.X.

I walked into the throne room behind Tachler and Mezzi, and next to Kaldur. The king looked up from his throne as we all knelt in front of the dais holding the throne.  
"Who dares interrupt me?" he bellowed, and Tachler and I stood, our matching cloaks identifying us as members of the royal family.  
"Crown prince Tachler and crown princess Veronica, Your Majesty," I said, my voice clear and confident. "I have come to report my decision." He looked at me expectantly, and motioned for me to go on. "I decline the proposal to marry crown prince Tachler of Tirrtuul." His face instantly clouded over, and he beat one fist against the arm of his throne.  
"This is not your decision! The proposal and your choice were all just formalities! You _will_ marry Tachler!" he roared. I calmly stared him down.  
"No, I will _not_," I said. "It is my life, and I am in love with Kaldur." He looked shocked that I had the audacity to question his order. In this country, his word was law.  
"And I am in love with your daughter," Kaldur said, standing and looping his arm around my waist. For being the most honest one on the team, he was a good liar.  
"I am in love with someone else, as well," Tachler spoke up. Father turned his glare to him.  
"And I love Tachler!" Mezzi cried, standing and throwing her arms around him.  
"You watch your tongue!" Father yelled.  
"We propose a challenge to the king," I continued, ignoring him and trying to keep my voice from shaking. "Two of us are lying about loving each other. If you can guess the correct couple that is bluffing, I will marry Tachler. If you cannot, I will not. You have my word that I will not change which couple is which." He looked like he was about to blow up, but then he had an idea, I could see it on his face.  
"I will accept this challenge on one condition. Both couples must kiss here, in front of me, before I make my choice." I blanched white. My father could read body language better than anyone I knew, and, according to my older brother, Jax, had gotten even better since I had last heard. Let's hope Kaldur could act.  
"We accept your condition," I said.  
"We'll go first," Tachler said. He turned to Mezzi, and hesitantly kissed her lips, quickly pulling away. It was hard to not chuckle at the disgusted look she tried to 'hide' after he pulled away. Father turned his gaze to Kaldur and I, waiting. Kaldur turned to me, tilting my face towards him gently, with his hand on my cheek. He leaned in and softly pressed his lips to mine, using his arm around my waist to pull me closer to him. I wrapped my arms around his neck, holding him closer to me. We just stood like that for a second, not making out or trying to do anything more than be closer to each other, then we pulled away. Even after he was next to me again, and Father was debating, I could taste his tang of sea-salt on my lips, and feel the pressure of his body.  
"I have made my decision," Father announced after a while, and I slipped my hand into Kaldur's. "Mezzi and Tachler are bluffing." I grinned.  
"Nope. Kaldur and I were lying. You lose, and Tachler and I don't have to get married." His face turned purple with fury.  
"I order you to marry him!" he bellowed, and I was sure everyone on the grounds could hear it.  
"If you will not honor your word, and release us from a marriage, I will be forced to take matters into my own hands," I said, glaring coldly at him.  
"Oh? What will you do? I am your father and your king, you have no choice but to obey me!" That pushed me over the edge. I reached up and flipped the clasp, letting my cloak fall to the ground.  
"In front of the king and royal witnesses, I revoke my right to the throne of Tirrtuul, and all connections to Fredrick the Fifth, reigning king." His eyes widened. "I also lay claim to the fortune left to me by my grandfather, King Fredrick the Fourth. And I swear on the graves of my people, you will not see a penny of it," I spat. Everyone looked surprised by the vehemence in my tone.  
"Impertinent girl! You forget everything I have done to you when one thing does not go your way? You will be left to rot in a cell, forgotten and left until your remains are only bones!"  
"What you have done for me? I was two years old when I joined my aunt in the United States. And even then, I knew you were a tyrant! You feast every night, and tables full of leftovers are thrown out every day, while your subjects starve! You do not care for your kingdom, only for your personal power and wealth! I'm ashamed to have ever been your daughter!" He smiled cruelly.  
"Such brave last words, for such a small girl, unable to back her threats," he said, sneering down at me.  
"The only thing keeping me from slitting your throat and leaving you to choke to death on your own blood is the trouble I'd get in with Batman." I sneered right back at him.  
"I order your immediate execution! We won't even wait for dawn," he gloated, thinking he had won.  
"I claim immunity that was set up and written in law by my grandfather, given to any hero and those affiliated with them. I claim my right as Livewire, protégé of Captain Marvel of the Justice League." Then I turned and stormed out, finding my way automatically to the elaborate door to my parents' bed chamber. I knocked softly and opened the door. A woman was sitting on the bed, a young man leaning against it as she ran her fingers through his hair. They looked up at the sound of the door opening, and the man leapt up, looking for a weapon against the intruder. "At ease, older brother," I said, shutting the door after me. "I come bearing gifts." The woman and the man looked at me, then he ran to me, wrapping me in a huge bear hug.  
"Vee! It's been forever!" he laughed, swinging me around. He put me down, and Mom ran over to me, wrapping her slender arms around my neck and holding me close.  
"Yeah, well, it'll be a lot longer until you see me again. My temper just ruined my relationship with that tyrant on the throne, and I'm not sorry." They both looked at me, and smiled, knowing both mine and my father's tempers.  
"Always have had a temper like the hydra," Jax teased. I punched my older brother on the arm.  
"Speaking of hydras and myths, I brought you something," I said, pulling the book of fairy tales from my bag. He ripped the wrapping paper off like he was still a little kid, and read the title.  
"Thank you!" he squealed like a little girl, dancing me around the room. I grinned. Even after all these years, my brother was still one of my best friends.  
"And for you, Mom," I said, handing her the wrapped necklace. She opened hers more carefully, exclaiming over the piece once she got it unwrapped. I hugged her too, and took out the box with the ring in it. "And this is for _him_." Mom took it and put it on the pillow.  
"He will see reason, eventually," she said softly, sitting back down on the bed.  
"I hope so," I muttered.  
"What is all the noise about?" a young girl asked, coming out of a door on the other side of the bed. She looked a lot like me, but she had the king's black hair and blue eyes. "Mother, who is that girl, why is she dressed like a peasant, and why is she in your room?" I was sure my eyebrows were going to fly off my face when she called Mom 'Mother.'  
"Mom?" I asked, looking to her. Even Jax's smile slipped a little bit.  
"Veronica, dear, meet your little sister." I stared at this girl.  
"I'm sorry, did you just say my little sister?" I asked.  
"Her little sister? _This_ is crown princess Veronica?" the girl looked almost as shocked as I was. Just then I heard a set of footsteps outside I recognized, and I opened the door and stuck my head out.  
"Kaldur!" I hissed, getting his attention. "Get in here. I think I might need someone to catch me when I pass out." He came into the room. "And apparently she's my little sister," I said, nodding at the girl.  
"I have a name! I am princess Rahaella of Tirrtuul," she said, looking down her nose at Kaldur and I.  
"Congrats sis, you get a promotion. I quit as crown princess, and disowned my father, which means you get to marry Tachler!" I said cheerfully, ignoring the looks Jax, Mom, and Kaldur sent me. "And may I introduce Kaldur'ahm, Aquaman's protégé, and the godfather of the new prince or princess of Atlantis." He bowed formally, which Jax returned. "Now, will someone explain how I have a little sister?"  
"Well, Mom and Dad love each other very much-" I cut Jax off there.  
"Well, smartass, as much as I'd love to have that talk right now, I kind of meant how I didn't know that I had a sister who is what, eleven? Twelve?"  
"I'm thirteen!" she snapped. "And you should show more respect to your prince!" I leveled my icy stare at her.  
"Listen here, short-stuff. I was woken up _way_ too early this morning by a Martian levitating me out of my bed, forced to decorate our base, put in this monkey suit, had my punch spiked by Kid Flash, and got in a fight with _Batman_ already today, then came here, disowned my father, and found out I have a little sister. Sass me again and see what happens." Jax and Mom looked at me in shock, while Kaldur just looped his arm around my waist and gave me a sideways hug, calming me down.  
"Veronica, I tried to tell you, but your father didn't want you to know. And you know how he can be." Oh, I know all too well how he can be. "I fear for her, now that the title of crown princess is passed to her. Would it be too much to ask, that is, would you mind taking her back with you? Nothing permanent, just for a little while, until your father has time to cool down." Rahaella and I stared at each other in horror across the bedroom.  
"I am sure that the Team and the League would be willing to help," Kaldur spoke up. I looked at him.  
"They're in the Bio-Ship outside, aren't they. And you've been talking with Miss M," I said, knowing I was right. He paused for a second, then nodded. "Okay, well, might as well bring them in here," I said, motioning to the French doors leading to a huge balcony outside. The Bio-Ship shimmered into the visible spectrum, and the ramp came down, everyone crowding down it. There were introductions all around, and Mom repeated her request to the whole Team. Nightwing stepped forward, and I saw Rahaella try to straighten her dress. I rolled my eyes. Wait until she found out that he and Zatanna were together. And very happy with it.  
"I cannot speak for Batman and the League, but I agree with our leader on this one; she is welcome with us at the Cave for as long as she needs it," he said, smiling at Mom. She sighed in relief, and rang for some servants to pack Rahaella's suitcase. I knew from experience that anything she had would be _way_ out of place in Happy Harbor. But I helped load her stuff onto the Bio-Ship with everyone else, as she just sat there, checking her nails and ordering us around. I was struggling with a particularly heavy suitcase, and she turned to glare at me.  
"Be careful with that! It's all the jewelry Mother said I could bring." I snapped then, letting the suitcase drop with a thump. The rest of the Team backed up, knowing shit had just hit the fan. They had only seen me this mad once before, and they knew they did not want to be within hitting range of me when I was like this.  
"Listen here, sugar queen. As soon as we cross the Tirrtuulian border, you're on _my_ turf. And this little attitude of yours is getting on my nerves. So, straighten up, or you're going to be finding out what it feels like to hit the Atlantic Ocean at twice the speed of sound, from almost a mile and a half in the air."  
"Filth, how dare you speak to me like that!" she demanded. The slap rang out across the room, echoing until it faded completely. She raised a hand to her burning face, touching the hand print I had left there.  
"Carry your own jewelry," I snarled, turning and stalking onto the Bio-Ship. I could hear Kaldur and Dick follow me, and they each put a hand on my shoulder when I reached the top of the ramp. I stopped, but didn't turn around.  
"Would Batman be happy with what you just did?" Dick asked quietly.  
"No, but I am, and I didn't have any knockout gas to give her."  
"I know you are upset, and I understand that. But you must give her a chance," Kaldur said. I whirled to face them.  
"Today I have had my heart freaking fly, had it torn out, smashed, put back together, and put back in. I was willing to give up my entire life for this country. I will not just stand by and be insulted by a little girl who was raised in my home, while I was out living with a circus and in an orphans home!" Kaldur just led me to my seat, sitting down and pulling me down sideways onto his lap, giving me a hug. I was surprised at this bolder side of Kaldur, but I laid my head against his chest, and finally allowed myself to cry. He murmured nonsense to me in Atlantean all the way home, even after I fell asleep.  
"I was not lying, in the throne room, about having feelings for you," he whispered to me, just before I fell asleep.  
"Good, neither was I," I had the energy to murmur back, before sleep overtook me, snuggling into him more comfortably. I couldn't _wait_ for tomorrow and facing the girls.

I woke up in my own bed, tucked in like I was still a small child. I climbed out from under the blankets, and walked to the Mission Room, in my pajamas. I was going to assume Zatanna had done that for me, because I didn't really want to think about any other options. I got there just in time to hear Bart say,  
"And this is the Mission Room. We do a lot of our training in here, along with getting briefed and debriefed." I saw him and Garfield lead Rahaella in, playing tour guides.  
"Hey Vee!" Garfield called, seeing me and waving. I waved and turned to go get breakfast. "But where is the spa? The banquet halls, the serfs' quarters?" I snickered.  
"Don't have them. We put duty over beauty, and clean up after ourselves," I called over my shoulder as I walked down the hall, to the kitchen. I heard her horrified scream follow me, and burst out laughing. I walked into the kitchen to find it, surprisingly, empty, and started putting a bowl of cereal. Kaldur came in just as I sat down, getting his own bowl and sitting down next to me.  
"What are we?" I asked, keeping my gaze carefully on my bowl. "Friends, what?"  
"Well, I guess that depends on your answer," he also kept his gaze on his bowl. "According to Nightwing and Kid Flash, I must do this 'right.' Veronica, will you go out with me, and be my girlfriend?" I bit my lip, then smiled.  
"Of course," I said, and gave him a hug, which he returned. "Do we tell the rest of the Team?" He grimaced.  
"I wish to avoid that much..." He tried to find the words.  
"Girly screams and jokes from Dick and Wally?" I finished for him. He smiled.  
"Exactly," he agreed.  
"Besides, you can't keep a secret from this Team for too long."

* * *

**Hey guys, sorry about the wait! I'm doing some final editing for the story that is taking up most of my time lately, which I should have posted soon! And, you'll have to wait a while for your next chapter, because I'm going to be at a camp, with no WiFi! At least I'll have my laptop with a decent word processor. I hope this will satisfy you for now! Love ya'll!**

**Vee: I have no words for this. None. At all.  
Kaldur: It will be okay.  
Me: *looking at Kadur* What happened to betraying Tula?  
Kaldur: *too busy making out with Vee*  
Me: Hey! No PDA in the after-chapter bit! Save it all for the actual story! *facepalm*  
Impulse: *running in* Has anyone seen Rahaella? She said she was going to the spa, and disappeared!  
Me: Sugar honey iced tea! Someone find her!**

**Oh, and extra extra bit at the end: one change from the show you've probably already noticed, but Wally isn't dead. And I'm changing Garfield and Bart's ages back to 13, because of Rahaella. All mayhem that I can and will cause from that whole thing there is dedicated to Stronger123! Okay, now I'm done.**

**-IceQueen2196**


	5. What Actually Happened in Tirrtuul

_"Besides, you can't keep a secret from this Team for too long."_ Kaldur's words ran through my head, over and over. I suppose you _could_ keep a secret, at least for a while. Of course, that's not true when you _want_ the Team to 'figure out' your secret quickly.  
For the first time _ever_ I was the only one in the Cave. Bart and Gar had taken Rahaella out shopping for some actual clothes, everyone else was out on a recon mission, and Tornado was on the Watchtower for some League meeting or another. I was curled up with a heating pad and a bowl of ice cream in front of the TV, Wolf on the floor below me.  
I couldn't stop thinking about what we were trying to pull off. What _I_ was trying to pull off. Lying about lying to a liar. Of course, Kaldur would tell me it's for my own good; but that doesn't mean it feels right. I heard the door slide open, and turned to see Red Tornado come in.  
"Black Canary requested I 'check in' on you," he said from the doorway. "To 'see if you need anything'."  
I smiled. "No, thanks Tornado. I don't think anyone can help me with my problems right now." I heard him cross the kitchen, and felt him sit down on the other end of the couch from me.  
"I have been told that talking about your problems helps," he said, as if repeating something he'd been told to say. If I didn't know better, I would think Dinah had put him on this mission to extract a specific piece of information from my head. Wait. I _don't_ know better, and I _do_ know Dinah. I rolled my eyes.  
"What does she want me to admit to?" I asked with a sigh.  
"Black Canary is seeking information about an interpersonal, romantic relationship between yourself and another member of the Team," came his prompt reply. "She believes you are attempting to keep said relationship on the 'down-low', and is curious if the rumors she has heard are true."  
"So, Canary sent you to get insider details about my relationship with Kaldur?" I couldn't help laughing.  
"I do not know what these 'insider details' are, but I believe that the answer to your question is yes." I had to laugh again.  
"Tell her it's complicated, okay?" I rolled back over onto my side, thinking about just how _complicated_ it really was.  
"Would you like to talk about it?" I somehow knew that he genuinely wanted to help, and wasn't just on a mission for Dinah. I was suddenly hit in the gut with a longing for a father-figure; one who _didn't_ want to starve an entire country to death.  
"Well, let's start with where I'm lying to the whole Team," I said after a moment. "Then move on to how I'm also lying to my partner-in-crime, severely messed up my relationship with my father, and just affected the succession order and process of my country. Well, my ex-country." It gave me a headache just thinking about it. Tornado just sat there, waiting for me to continue. "Okay, so, Kaldur and I are pretending to be together, because of the lie I told my father, and I don't trust Rahaella. So, Kaldur thinks that it's all an act, but I actually do have feelings for him. Then, I disowned my father and my country, and took both eligible royal girls out of the country, those girls being myself and Rahaella, where he has no legal jurisdiction." Tornado seemed to think over this for a while.  
"From my understanding of the events of the night you were in Tirrtuul, you both claimed to be lying about being romantically involved," he stated. I already understood where this was going.  
"So why do we need to pretend to like each other? Okay, I'm going to have to go back to before we went to my father, when Kaldur and I were still plotting with Tachler and Mezzi."

_**Flashback**_

I looked at the other three in the passage. "How good are you at bluffing?"  
"What do you have in mind?" Tachler asked after a moment. I grinned.  
"I'm glad you asked. Well, we all know how Father prides himself on being able to read body language. And how he's a complete sucker for the obvious, according to Jax. So, all we have to do is play that, and we'll be good." I could already see the doubt on Mezzi's face. She knew how good of an actress I was, she'd visited Auntie and I several times in the States. Most of the family had; everyone but Father, in fact. But could we all pull this off?  
"Are you feeling well?" Kaldur asked with concern. My grin widened, and a devious glint slipped into it. He'd never seen this side of me before.  
"I'm perfectly fine!" I said, and looped my arm through his. "What about you, _my love_." They all looked at me like I'd lost it then.  
"Okay, did I miss something?" Mezzi asked, seeing the look Kaldur shot me.  
"Nope!" I couldn't help the half-maniacal giggle from escaping my lips then. "But that's how we're going to make sure Tachler and I end up not married."  
"What exactly is this master plan of yours?" Tachler looked almost scared as he asked.  
"Easy. Dusty old law states that if the heir to the throne loses their virginity to another, not of royal blood, they are no longer eligible for the throne." Kaldur took a step to the side, his face very nervous and red. I burst out laughing. "Calm down Kaldur. I'm not _actually_ going to fuck with you to not have to marry Tachler. But Father doesn't know that." Understanding came over his face. "But! We can't tell him we've already done it, because he would know we hadn't. What we're going to do tonight is convince him that we're not in a relationship. Then, you're going to ask me out on the way back home, Father's going to figure out that he's been tricked, and get all mad. But by the time he gets to us, we'll already have made me 'ineligible', and he loses." Everyone seemed to think this over for a bit.  
"What about your sister?" Mezzi asked after a second. Oh yeah, her. Jax and Lukani had both mentioned that if I didn't marry Tachler, she would have to.  
"I'll visit Mom and Jax after ruining things with Father, she'll suggest that she stay with us, we'll say yes, and she'll come to the States, where Father has no legal jurisdiction. Plus, I really don't trust her. According to my wonderful older adoptive brother, I love Jax so much!, she's practically Father's lap-dog. It'll just make getting the news to Father that much easier. I'm assuming you two aren't married?" I asked Tachler, looking between him and Mezzi.  
"No. He always put his duty before our love," Mezzi answered. I smiled.  
"Perfect! While Father's getting all mad about both of his daughters leaving the country, you should have just enough time to get married, so Tachler can ascend to the throne! Because let's face it, royal marriages take _forever_ to finalize." This was all coming together so perfectly! "Law states that the king- or queen-to-be must only be _married_ before becoming queen or king, not that they must be married to the next heir after themself of the suitable gender. So, as soon as you two get married, Father has already signed the papers that say that you become king upon your marriage, you become king, and kick his pompous ass off the throne. I know you'll be better than he is." It was pointed at Tachler, telling him what he would know if he bothered to look for a loophole as hard as Auntie and I had.  
"But what are we actually going to _do_?" Mezzi asked, getting more into the plan.  
"That's easy, we just have to propose a little challenge to the king. We make him decide which of us is the real couple. He's going to throw in an 'unexpected twist', probably involving physical contact. You guys make it look horrible, and we make it look like we're the couple. But, that'd be to obvious, so you two have to do the whole point-at-yourself-and-mouth-ME!-ME!-ME! thing while Kaldur and I are doing...whatever it is we have to do."  
"Let us hope this works," Kaldur whispered to me as we made our way to the throne room. I squeezed his hand for luck, and the doors opened in front of us.  
_It's show time._

_**End Flashback**_

"So, to make sure Father can't mess up Mezzi and Tachler's marriage, Kaldur and I are pretending to be together," I ended my story, looking at Red Tornado.  
"I will have to think this over," the android intoned after a while. He stood, bid me farewell, and retired to his rooms. I pulled a locket out of the inside of my shirt, and opened the silver heart. Two faces stared back at me; one with bright red hair and shocking obsidian eyes and the other with white-blond hair and ice-blue eyes. Jax's eyes always had a dark purple ring in the center, only different from the surrounding black if you looked very closely. Lukani was always pale, which didn't make sense to me. We spent all the time we could outside; me being only a year older than he had made us constant play companions. I missed him. I should have made time to visit him when I was in Tirrtuul over the break. I really missed him.  
"We're _ba-ack_!" Rahaella's voice shot through the Cave. Great, now I have to face that pompous pink horror with only Bart and Gar for backup. And they were so infatuated with her they wouldn't be any help at all. Could this day get any worse?

* * *

**So, I'm back. Kinda. Yes, I already know this chapter is crap, you don't have to tell me. These have been pretty much filler chapters, because I need some little bits to set up her next bit with Kaldur. Okay, to sum up the important parts of the last two chapters; Vee goes to Tirrtuul, messed up her relationship with her father, and comes back to the States with a bitch in tow. Said bitch is related to her. She and Kaldur get in a fake relationship. This will get more interesting soon, swearziez. Thanks guys!**


End file.
